OFFICER DOWN
by KILLROZE
Summary: A fatal accident on the job. Terrorism. Mental. Friendships are tested. A sexy intruder. Someone gets a limb torn off. Adultery. Judy and Nick have their work cut out for them.
1. Chapter 1

**"WE GOT A TEN DOUBLE ZERO, OFFICER DOWN, OFFICER DOWN!"**

"Please stay with me..." Cries of sopping despair prevented the officer from speaking coherently. Paroxysms of emotion erupted from her clenched gut and threatened at the cusp of her throat, frothing like a vat of acid. Hot tears welled up at the precipice of her ducts, its weight staggering her long lashes before her widened purple haze; almost hues of midnight purple in the low light.

The officer's too-small hands covered a bloody stomach as well and tightly as she could through trembling hands. She fought the geyser of hot, sticky blood as that bubbled between her miniscule digits, her own heart jumping like a tick as the flow didn't seem to be slowing anytime soon. She was growing frustrated at herself as she felt like with all that she built towards in her career didn't mean _squat_ if she couldn't help Nick; if she couldn't help her partner! She let out a frightening cry of worry, then as though triggering an avalanche, tears seemed to cascade from her reddening eyes down her dampening nose and onto the reddish fur of her downed partner like a water hose.

She removed her red left paw from his gushing stomach wound and shakily grasped her walkie to repeat her call.

"T-TEN DOUBLE ZERO, TEN DOUBLE ZERO, TEN… **_STAY WITH ME NI-CK!_** "

"OFFICER HOPPS, WHAT IS YOUR LOCATION?" Clawhauser could be heard over the radio, his usual professional demeanor cracking with anxiety. Within the radio's tinny receiver, officers could be heard converging and getting ready to roll out as soon as they retrieve Officer Hopps' coordinates. "All cars standby, all cars standby we have a possible code double zero." His voice deepened slightly by the grave gravity of the situation.

Judy tried to wiped her blurry vision away with her arm and then peered down the dark, long alleyway for any sort of a road sign, but to no avail. She could probably find one if she ran out of the alleyway, but the thought of leaving Nick's side punched her in the gut. "I- I'm in an alleyway-" She mused absentmindedly to keep the line hot as she tried to collect herself professionally.

"Nick and I left our original patrol route to follow some suspicious-" She paused as she checked Nick again. "Suspicious activity down by the warehouse district." Nick's eyes fluttered briefly before then his throat convulsed and he began sputtering up blood suddenly, interrupting Judy's already derailing train of thought. Judy almost dropped him in horror. His eyelashes began to flutter erratically as his body was beginning to be thrown into shock. "NICK!" Judy scrambled to

lift his head up higher so his own precious blood wouldn't drown him.

Clawhauser was silent for a moment as papers were flipped on his end. Then finally he came back on hot, "Judy, we _need_ you to try and tell me where you are. Landmarks, numbers, signs, a constellation, something, what do you see?" Clawhauser tried to respond professionally. Through the radio, Judy could then hear the cheetah call for medics and for someone to call Chief Bogo on his personal phone.

Staring at Nick's wound gave Judy a new sensation of numbness to her senses. She knew she has to act fast to minimize the possibility of losing her partner. With her glassy eyes on Nick, and her right paw firmly pressed on the bleeding hole in his gut, she gripped him firmly with her soggy paws under his arms. Her right arm stretched awkwardly to give some sort of attention to his wound, left cheek to his muzzle, she then slowly began to drag his body through the dirty alleyway to the street.

"Stay with me, Nick. Stay with me, we're almost there, please-" She tried her best to keep the growing knot in her throat down to a minimum as she spoke sweetly to her partner. Her heart felt like it was trying to climb out of her throat as she gasped for breath, but never did she falter her pace nor dropped Nick's head an inch as she pulled him towards the open street.

A fourth of the way, his eyelashes ceased its fluttering. Halfway, his pulse was but a frail bird. Judy bucked teeth gripped her lip like a life preserver as she fought with the torrential seas of feeling within her mind. Seeing him barely register her touch or sounds by the tiniest twitched of muscle and his ears sent a pulled her stomach from below. Her mind was a like a casino game at this point, the contents and sensations all being alien and new at the time, randomizing priority until finally she began cooing to her partner in a sappy-sweet tone.

Then it was scratching behind his ears with her chin, trying to tickle him with her left paw, then half-hearted singing. She didn't know how else to spur a reaction, she feared him losing consciousness.

Interrupting her song, her eyes dilated as she looked back at the distance they've covered. **Blood.** **So much blood.** Deep, dark red blood painted Nick's furrow; gritty with dirt and dust. The dim moonlight above illuminated the glimmering trail of the red liquid against the dark shadows and gloom surrounding them.

 _No!_ She snapped her gaze up indescrimimantly at whatever. _Don't look, look ahead, don't break down now._ She could feel a stomach churning combination of nausea and massive body racking sobs threaten to fuse and eliminate her stumbling spirit. _Just think of what he'll say if you dared_ stop _now._

"You big, dumb bunny…" Judy muttered to no one in particular, reminding herself of Nick's sly remarks, fueling her determination, at least whatever's it worth. Judy turned her head sharply from the sour vestige of Nick's declining health and valiantly trudged forward.

"Almost there Nick, almost there." His heart began to slightly rise in rhythm at a third of a way to the street. By now Judy could see more of the road. She pressed the worn red button on her radio,

"I- I see a-" Her eyes scrolled from the exposed street and warehouse faces to Nick's hyperventilating chest, prompting her to check her partner one more time, she noted that his heart rate was now racing like a speed demon.

"Oh, cheese and crackers! Nick stay with me, I got you, I won't let you go!" She pulled her walkie up to her mouth once more, but in doing so she lost balance and stepped awry, and so Judy's right foot accidentally tripped over a misplaced brick in the middle of the alleyway, sending her backwards, dropping Nick's head against her hand and with the weight of it all slamming against her knuckles onto the concrete conglomerate floor below.

Pain pierced her hand and hind leg like a stake. In the dust, her radio slid across the ground.

"Dammit." She muttered under her breath. Her heart dropped into her stomach as she realized that she had just dropped Nick. She tried to get up and her teeth clasped together as the searing, vibrating pain gnawed at her achilles. She spotted her walkie a couple feet from her, its tawdry speaker crackling from the disrupted signal it was receiving. Judy bit her lip as she flipped onto her stomach, being careful about her partner, and then reached for the walkie.

 _Come on, just a bit further..._ Her knuckles throbbed as she clutched the radio firmly and readiedherself to read out the street sign which was finally visible by her perspective towards the end of the alley. She aimed her eyes like bronoculars at the street sign and readied to press the button to relay. What she heard next made her feel as though she had unconsciously swallowed the radio instead.

"11mt- ware-hous- lemn stree-"

Judy gasped and stared into the dust covered grilled speaker as though she was trying to see who it was that spoke through the same channel. She knew who it was, unfortunately...

His voice sounded like fields during heavy drought seasons.

That voice, that feeble, small voice; it sounded so close to doom.

Nick…

Judy's skin beneath her fur grew cold. Her eyes widened and played a tennis match of focusing and blurring as mental shock dominated her. Her stomach felt as though it was being used for batting practice.

There was a tangible beat of silence and in the background barely picked up by the microphone on Clawhauser's terminal, officers could be discerned to be asking if that was Wilde. Then Clawhauser broke from his trance and his business model was back on. "ELEVENTH WAREHOUSE ON LEMON STREET! ALL CARS CONVERGE AROUND THE ELEVENTH WAREHOUSE ON LEMON STREET!" Clawhauser barked into his radio. "Attention all medical personnel-"

Judy wasn't listening anymore. She didn't think that she could hear anything anymore after she just heard her partner… her friend… Nick sounded as though Father Time was packing up his last clock for the fox.

"Nick…"

Her ears flicked tentatively as the first droplets of rain kissed her fur, chilling her body, but she was already shivering. The downpour continued subsequently, but not from the darkening clouds above that were being painted across the starry sky. The sounds of the shy droplets tapping away at the dusty concrete and metal roofs of the crowded warehouses. Powerful feelings of horror and the gnawing urge to pounce back on Nick clashed against each other. She didn't want to entertain the thought that the silent vigil of stillness that Nick exhibited was due to his expiration. She rebuked those thoughts. Though they pestered, she bashed those heart-stomping thoughts back down to her own oblivion and then lept from the her spot on the coarse ground and towards the pile of russet-furred stillness before her.

With the sound of blood rushing through her ears blocking out the incoming screaming thoughts in her head, the echoing sirens in the distance, and her fellow officers shouting their locations and repeating orders on the shared channel, she could only focus on Nick. There was no other thing of importance in the whole world but Nick.

She scrambled in the dust and picked his head up off the ground gingerly and pulled his slightly damp body onto her lap. She relished in happiness for a breath of a second as she held her cheek close to his, grey and red fur intertwining. " _Thank goodness_ , thank you, thank you!" Her cries ping-ponged off the surrounding metal walls and into the heavens.

She then reverted her attention to his stomach wound and with more energy than before tightly held his stomach to prevent any more lifeblood from escaping his body. She felt hot tears boil in the rims of her eyes as she felt the sticky, warm blood seep through her paws again. She took a sad glance at his face but immediately took a double take as she realized that he was looking at her through the tiniest slits and between tiny, sweat-clumped eyelashes.

Judy's small heart swelled and the feeling that she harbored for him overflowed in the form of happy tears, unintelligible chitters, and a pressing herself into the fur on his face and holding him as though she could protect him from any ethereal beings that may try and consume him. "Nick, I'm so happy that you're still here with me. Nick, Nick, I-" Her voice struggled to form into the words she desperately wanted to say. Instead she dug her muzzle into his neck and purred away, her tiny claws gripping him closer. After a beat, she withdrew and smiled dearly at him, a couple of his red, damp strands of fur clinging to her face. "Stay with me, Nick. We're gonna get through this together. I promise I won't let anything happen to you again, I promise that I'll be forever by your side, Nick! I won't let you go, you mean so much to me, what am I going to do without you!? Help is on the way, don't you hear it?"

She relished that both of his ears were facing attentively towards her as though they gobbled up every word she said, but his eyes never opened up any further than it had before. Speaks of green hiding behind the tiniest line of lashes. For several seconds they shared a look. The pattering of the rain growing heavier and the over-excited gasps of Judy and the background cacophony of multiple police sirens was the music to this noir.

Finally, she found the exact words that she wanted to say, her heart at full mast. Her becoming smile graceful, and her lips poised with a simple sentence forged from over a year of tasteful memories, experiences, and sensations that filled the small bunny with vivifying vitality.

"Nicholas, I-"

Her voice seized in her throat as she felt Nick slowly turn his muzzle towards the base of her ear. The sensation tickled, but she was forced to swallow her laughter as her ears was met with a strained wheeze that barely had the inflections that denoted speech.

"..."

Judy looked down at him in trepidation, and his eyes, through the slimmest slits of his eyelids, glistened back at her, and then slowly they closed.

And then there were no sound from him.

And then suddenly the rain felt like pin pricks made of chilliest bite of the polar districts wind.

And then the sounds of the night blundered into a stale hush.

And then… and then…

"Nick?"

"-"

"Nick…?" Judy's tiny paws gently jostled his body, her digits desperately searching for his heartbeat. Horror in the shape of a serpent slithered about in her belly as she couldn't find it. She couldn't find it! He wasn't moving, he wasn't responding, she couldn't fathom it, it just wasn't true! She jostled harder, she forced his eyes open, her red paws gripping the lapels of his soaked uniform, her eyes desperately searching his face!

"-"

 ** _"NICK!"_**

(-)

Car 009 were the first on site. The huge vehicle barreled through the outside checkpoint and roared down the steady decline to the warehouses. Wipers slapped furiously across the windshield as Officers Francine and McHorn turned down Lemon Street. "Approaching Lemon Street, I do not have a visual on Hopps and Wilde yet." Officer Francine announced on her car's radio. "In search now." On cue, Officer McHorn's massive digit pressed the spotlight button on the center console.

"Copy that Car 9." Clawhauser relayed. "Paramedics ETA 3 minutes. Cars 12, 16, 22, and 23 ETA 6 minutes." There was a pause. "Chief Bogo ETA 8 minutes."

McHorn and his partner shared a glance, but their lips were sealed by the grim circumstances. Francine slowed down to allow Officer McHorn to properly search each alleyway they passed with the onboard spotlight. Under the light's brilliance the downpour looked like crystals hitting the ground then shattering into a million shards of itself. The rhino's face held together like stone as he thought about his fellow comrades and what he and Francine may find when they find Hopps and Wilde. His stony facade only hardened further when he thought of Chief Bogo's presence and how he'll take it.

"McHorn." Francine turned down the scanner radio to hush the incoming calls that their fellow officers were en-route to the warehouse district. The rhino grunted in acknowledgment as he aimed the spotlight down another alleyway, his thoughts unraveling like frayed rope. She pointed down the lane at a ZPD police car that was crudely wedged between a narrow corridor between warehouse eleven and an auxiliary building beside it.

"Go on the other side!" McHorn directed with his large fingers.

Officer Francine nodded and hit the gas as they barreled down the alleyway. They pulled a hard left turn and looked down the corridor between warehouse eleven and the auxiliary building that Officers Hopps and Wilde's police interceptor was wedged between.

The patrol car lurched to a stop and Francine muted the wail of the sirens instinctively. The only sound now permeating the night was the rhythmic swabbing of the windshield wipers and the drumming of the rain. Her gasp at what her car's headlamps was aimed at disrupted the scene and her hesitation added urgency to McHorn's response who sighed a resigned sigh as he launched himself out of the car.

At the mouth of the alley, just a car length from the street sat Judy. Silent and still, in Judy's lap lied a matted Nicholas Wilde. Judy's head face hung over her partner in a silent vigil as she protected his body. She was like a mother who was consoling her kit, or more affectionately a lover holding her betrothed. It was a terrifyingly beautiful sight. The bright lights of the patrol car splashed them with a crystalline shower. The rain that pelted them were like a steady stream of pearls in a cloud of evaporation that swirled around their bodies like a phantom. Like a solemn work of art, Judy's body held Nick's own into her embrace with companionship, and together they both remained still, even at the presence of Francine's patrol car.

Officer McHorn finally reached the two. "McHorn to Dispatch, we found Officer Hopps and Officer Wilde." As he crouched to tend to his fellow officers he noticed Judy's blank, sullen expression upon her shadowed face, her long ears rejected any light from Francine's car from reaching her empty face. He gulped at the sight of brokenness and then reached to check for Wilde's pulse.

His heart froze, his pupils dilated and then after a couple seconds, he snapped back to his senses. It was not the first time Officer McHorn have seen death, and tonight will not be the last; thus be the sublime evil of the job.

McHorn looked to Judy and after a second of taking in the haunting stare she held that seemed to peer through Nick's sodden body he asked her, "Did you administer CPR?" His tone was as hard as a tree's trunk, but yet soft as the fruit one may bear.

Judy merely stared at the wound she was currently staring through and a deep wave of shame stuffed itself into her chest that was already full with anguish. Did she? She didn't remember doing so. All she remembered was the turmoil of realizing that his heart had ceased beating, then she remembered the out of body sensation of being lost in space, her mind broken just much as the mess her heart was in.

Of course.

Of course, she didn't.

The absolute shock of his heart stopping did something to Judy. For once in her life she forgot everything.

In the absence of her answer, and before McHorn could do anything further, a couple more police officers arrived at the scene including the ZEP (Zootopia Emergency Paramedics). Officers Howle and Officer Fangmeyer, Officer Rhinowitz and Officer Johnson, and the paramedics, a team of beavers, ran straight for the trio at the vestibule of the alleyway.

McHorn responded a couple more times on his radio, finally being joined by Francine who had took time to take a quick search around their surroundings, and then peered down at Judy once more, noticing that even to the arrival of more officers and the paramedics that she flinched as much as a mountain. Francine murmured something in his ear quickly before joining Howle and Fangmeyer, but he wasn't listening as he watched Hopps.

One of the beavers cloaked Judy in a thick shock blanket and began gripping her gently and coaxing the distressed officer off of Nick as the other two beavers, brawnier than the first and carrying a stretcher, carefully laid the fox-sized stretcher beside the still vulpine and then proceeded to gently lift Nick onto the stretcher.

However, as soon as Judy felt the beavers push her back and remove Nick from her possession, Judy fell into a frantic frenzy. Her eyes glued to his sopping body, she thrashed in the nurse's hands and lurched back on his body before the two assistants could lift Nick from the ground. She had let him out of her sight earlier tonight… and that's when he got shot… She was not about to let him out of her sight now!

Her eyes widened. "No! Wait, let go of me!" Judy screeched once the nurse desperately tried to retrieve her. The lady nurse achieved a single foot before the distraught bunny twisted her lithe body out of the larger mammal's reach. Beside her though, and shaking himself from his initial shock, McHorn blocked Judy's frantic, rebellious frenzy to get back to Nick's side. The lady nurse that cloaked Judy before nodded her gratitude to the senior officer and briskly placed another shock blanket onto Judy's shoulders. The brawnier beavers took their chance to hoist Nick into the air between themselves and quickly hopped back into the back of the ambulance.

"Please stay calm Miss Hopps, I understand that you may be feeling distraught, but please let us-" the nurse started, her voice warbling slightly. She held a sympathetic face as she witnessed the 'Hero Cop of Zootopia' bawl hysterically. Her caring eyes quickly jumped to apprehension as Judy's face transformed into anger on the verge of malice. McHorn even looked slightly bewildered, if not intimidated.

"You don't know!" She spat next, her accusing tone like dagger, her reddening eyes piercing the professional veil of the nurse. "That's my partner, my friend, _my_ \- Nick!" Tiny droplets of spittle flung from her trembling lips. "He was here for me whenever I needed a hand, but under my watch he was- he was-" Words of deep emotion, deeper than what everyone else perceived, got caught in the little bunny's throat like a sharp taco shell.

"Nick! Let me get to him!" Anger that couldn't be reigned in shown viciously with the color red. The nurse apologized profusely, but she quickly left for she had a job to do, leaving Officer McHorn in an odd position of abeyance.

The toughened rhino had his fisted hand down before the rattied bunny 4 feet below his chin. She held fast her position for the moment, but her big puffy eyes never left the figure of Nick inside of the ambulance. He wanted to console her as she was a fellow officer, but on the other hand, she is a cop now, such accidents and tribulations are part for the course, but then on someone else's hand, as everyone only have two, this is her first murder; first death even, that she have witnessed first hand, and to add to that with much injury, he was her partner and best friend. He sighed internally and found it more comfortable with holding still in the face of an intimidating predator. That predator's name was death.

She nibbled on her blunt claws, she rapped her foot upon the warm, damp asphalt, she murmured almost silently to herself and she even craned her neck about trying to get a glimpse of Nick as the nurse stepped in the back of the vehicle and began to close the doors, leaving it open only for a gasp of a second only to relay a message to someone on the other side of the door, then finally she snapped the door shut.

Judy then went from 0-100 in a millisecond, her eyes popping out her head and her tiny body pouncing into the air as though she was gonna hunt down the ambulance and everyone within to get back to her fox.

The unicorned officer beside her was lost of patience however, "Officer Hopps, let the animals do their job!" Officer McHorn said with a tone like taxes and a heap of paperwork. He looked down at Judy, deep within his eyes he was as hurt as she was. She knew that much. She bit her lip and fought for control over herself. "Hopps…" He said again as she began to pace and pound her foot against the sodden ground in anxiety. Judy looked up to him once more, this time she fought tears and a bellow of sadness from erupting from her gullet.

Judy held herself as closely as she could. She felt alone here. She felt naked. She held herself close. There were no one else now that can console her. So she held herself close. The discord around her was as organized as it has ever been. This is a murder scene after all. Blood, a single bullet casing, a fleeing perpetrator, and a dead body. Classic. This was just another crime scene…

Delgato and Francine was taping the perimeter. Wolford and his team was sniffing around trying to pinpoint a scent of any kind. Officer Johnson and his team were combing the vastness of the warehouse district for anything and everything. Soon forensics will be here for the late shift to collect anything that could be swabbed and stuffed into a sterile bag. Then Bogo will come and give the scene a heavy frown and leave without much word else. Normal.

As the cops around her did their duties, most ignoring the distraught bunny or giving her space, they crisscrossed and zigzagged around her. She felt cooler to the skin the further the wailing ambulance skirted away. She stood there silently staring down the misty road as she watched the ever shrinking image of her partner through the tiny windows of the vehicle leave her. Some fellow officers rallied up behind her for support, but what's going to support her ever weakening mind? Who's going to make her laugh as she patrolled the city? Who's going to make her feel appreciated as Nick do?

A twinge of desperation, loss, and emotional vexation clamored in her head. She fought off the tantalizing thought of chasing down the ambulance on foot. She desperately wanted to go to

Nick, to ensure that he wouldn't become a loss. She wanted to be by his side no matter what because without him… there is no other partner for her.

She held her head low, her ears heavy like seaweed. Then from the bowels of her mindspace, a voice nibbled on the back of her mind. A voice that set the whole house on fire.

 ** _You don't deserve him as a partner…_**

Judy's eyes begin to widen as she heard evils whisper in her mind. Tongues of ambiguity vexed her. Uncertainty, anguish, dread, guilt jumped her. Tightening, constricting, suffocating; her breath was caught in her throat. Her heart began to race.

 ** _You let him die…_**

Judy's foot started to pound the ground absentmindedly as she tried to push those terrible thoughts out of her mind, in reality her eyes seemed to stare through the third-dimension. She didn't even realize the huge figure walking directly towards her. "I didn't kill him…. I didn't kill him…" she muttered quietly. BAH! Those evil thoughts, those painful thoughts laughed at her incredulous attempts to free herself from her guilt. Those inner thoughts wouldn't be silenced so easily.

 ** _He died on your watch…_**

 ** _He wouldn't have died if you hadn't put him in this position. He would have been happier as a con-artist. And now, he's dead trying live out your dream._**

 ** _He's going to die trying to live out your dream._**

Judy fell into a mental lock; locking eyes with her conscious. _What if I was the reason why he_ _died? Would he truly had been happier if I hadn't persuaded him to pursue this career with me? Would he truly had been happier if he stayed a lowly con-mammal?_ Amidst of the questions thattorpedoed her mind-vessel, she took a zombie glance at the burly buffalo before her and then felt a darkening cloud consume her senses. The warm concrete fell away from her numb feet. The sky floated away. Her colleagues diminished from her senses. Her heart slowed to an adagissimo. Her eyes closed. Her mind drifted. Her soul sullen. And then slowly, she fell to the earth.

 _Nick..._


	2. Chapter 2

It was about two in the afternoon and the day was beautiful; crisp zephyrs permeated the warm Savannah Central air inundating a delightful feeling of goosebump-euphoria to all who decided to wear short sleeves today. All this was also felt inside, however, since because of the marvelous weather, and partially because of the G.R.E.E.N initiative by Mayor Lionheart, the massive windows and doors of the Precinct One was opened so it felt like a breezeway or a massive gazebo.

Officers Fangmeyer, Delgato, and McHorn stood chummily by the reception desk keeping Clawhauser company while on their lunch breaks. Today was a slow day, every place of employment has those, but things in precinct one felt especially stagnant.

"Have you guys heard of Gazelle's upcoming concert in a couple months featuring D33JAYMAU5 and Jack R?" Clawhauser chirped out in happiness, his exclamation carried like a flock of pigeons through the vast lobby. He held up his phone which was playing the '2k17 NEW YEAR REVIVAL PARTY' trailer on EweTube. In the video it featured some track teasers of Latin pop music with deep house electronic influences and plenty of flashy lights and punchy colors.

Without even allowing the video to end, Clawhauser snatched his phone away from the eyes of his friends and jutted the phone back a nose length from his eyes, soaking in the music and provocative visuals of his favorite singer. "It's going to be amazing!" Clawhauser's voice lilting mellifluously and his tail coiling like a spring.

Officer McHorn let out a low chuckle at his friend's excitement, but ended up shaking his head, letting out a retired sigh, and then putting his hands on his utility belt. "Eh… I don't know Ben, electro isn't really my style. Now, if it was some Bear Dylan then it'll be a good time." He smiled as Clawhauser shot him a deadpan stare.

"Oh, please let me know when you'll join us in 2017." The portly cheetah rolled his eyes and waved a hand dismissively at McHorn. "Come on, old mammal, it's going to be great! Techno is very in." Clawhauser insisted. His tail curled amorously as returned to watching the ending of the video.

Delgato chuckled at McHorn's usual disinterest. "Aw, come on McHorn, you both can be robocops!" The lion then started to dance like a half-inspired robot, earning laughter from the group, save for McHorn of course who instead snorted at his subordinate.

Fangmeyer grinned and scratched the area behind her ear. "I don't think that you have a choice McHorn, it's either go or receive forty to life of puppy eyes from Benjamin." She looked to Ben and with a wink he was cued to produce a quite pitiful pair of sad eyes to his stoic superior.

The rhino cop then huffed out a sigh and shook his head. "I may check it-"

McHorn's abdication was interrupted as screeching tires was heard outside, followed by a slamming of a car door (then a second, softer door close) and finally lithe, hurrying pawsteps towards the Precinct One's doors. The group of officers hanging around the reception looked at each other in bewilderment and then got up from their slouching positions, fully prepared for the next few moments with anticipation.

They didn't have to wait long as Judy's long ears came into view first, then the rest of her, her eyes aimed for the offices past the reception, on corridor two, and down the hall. The big foyer happened to pick up her miniscule, muffled footsteps, but to the surrounding officers they were like footsteps of a giant. The group stayed quiet, their eyes on the freshly aloof bunny pursuing her errand in stride, her purple eyes not once acknowledging her comrades. Left behind in her wake, taking huge, thirsty gulps of air at the herculean doors, stood Judy's temporary partner, a young lynx named Nicole Felina.

Not missing a beat once Judy disappeared into the offices, Officer McHorn whistled and waved a hand at the rookie, beckoning her over. The newbie looked up with her fluffy ears standing at attention and then jogged over to them.

Nicole Felina is a smaller mammal, about the same height as the average fox, with a beautiful pattern of light sand-gold and jet-black spots on her coat. Her ears stood tall with darker tufts of fur emanating from her ears and her paws. Her face was pretty no doubt, but you could clearly tell she was quite the naive one; a stark contrast of Judy who, by now, clearly looks and plays the part that her new position, commanding lieutenant.

"Yes sir, Officer McHorn, sir?" She looked up to him, back straight, trying to look professional, but a nervous twinkle sparkle in her eyes gave her _vanilla_ away. The rest of the group smirked at her attitude, but their lips remained sealed, except for Clawhauser who let out a barely audible ' _aww_ '.

"At ease." He professionally stated, his own back ramrod straight before relaxing himself and putting his elbow on the reception desk. "Good afternoon Miss Felina, how's Judy, is she doing okay today?" Pure concern shone in the rhino's eyes. Clawhauser, Fangmeyer, and Delgato also leaned in to listen.

Nicole looked down at her twiddling thumbs before answering, drawing her stellar eyes up to McHorn. "She's her usual self I suppose... Talks little, busy body as always, she leaves me in the dust most of the times." Nicole let out an ersatz giggle and allowed her tail to flip out of chagrin. She then coughed into her fist before scrolling her gaze around at them all for a second before lowering her head slightly. "Er… I honestly didn't expect this while working with the famed Judy Hopps. Folks back at the academy threw Judy's name around like she was some hero who exceeded all expectations."

"Which is undeniably true." Fangmeyer quickly foisted.

Nicole paused and peered at the bigger cat and averted her gaze down to her resting thumbs as she continued. "But honestly, she's not at all what I've come to expect from the 'Hero Cop of Zootopia'. She's abrasive, standoffish, and sometimes she do weird things like just stare off into the distance or take us to the warehouse district or…" The Young lynx bit her tongue as the surrounding officers continued their looks with silence.

McHorn, Delgato, Fangmeyer, and Clawhauser shared an interlude for a moment as they knew perfectly well the reason that Judy is acting the way she is. They concretely knew the reason why Judy is so sour nowadays, always working, and giving her new partner a hard time.

McHorn held his frown and looked to Delgato and Fangmeyer, the latter then placed a reassuring paw on Nicole's back. "Stay in there hon, it's still quite the honor to work with her. Bogo paired you two because she has proven especially talented in offering a new perspective on what it means to be in the ZPD; what it means to be a servant of the public. This is good, and she knows it too. For now though, she's a bit _prickly_ for a very good reason, a very _private_ reason."

The male lion next to his fellow officers held his frown and pulled himself into a tight pose with his arm crossed as he watched the interactions. After Fangmeyer said what she has to say she looked to him for consideration to which he hesitantly eased into. "I'm sure everything will work out in the end. Just stay in there newbie." Delgato nodded to Nicole, his feelings clearly showing on his face as he brushed away a cowlick from his face. Fangmeyer shot him a glare and he responded with a shrug.

Ignoring the valiant sugarcoating of his coworkers, McHorn forlornly added, "She wasn't always like this." His voice was like the overpowering tinge of sour milk as he reflected the contrast of how Judy was before Nick got critically wounded.

The group of cops, besides Nicole, looked to the ground in shared despondency. Nicole looked to them all in turn before her curious green eyes rested back on Officer McHorn. "May I ask what happened?" She whispered out, her eyes curious and her furry ears like the open meadows.

The senior officers too looked to McHorn to answer that question. The big rhino sighed and shifted his weight on the counter; the counter groaned in response, then he then nodded to indicate her to come closer. When she got a few steps closer McHorn lowered his head and started to speak.

(-)

With paws like lightning, Judy finished typing three investigation reports, transferring audio testimonials from her phone to the computer both in writing and mp3 file, emailing them all to Chief Bogo, a copy for records, and then an extra one to her personal email in record time before scampering out of the offices back to the lobby. She was running a tad late on her most imminent and important appointment.

She checked her phone for the time and began a light jog. Her footsteps pittered-pattered off the shiny linoleum floors of the corridors and then tentatively echoed into the valley that more so pretended to be the foyer of the Precinct. As she hurried she saw that her temporary replacement was gathered around the reception desk along with McHorn, Fangmeyer, and Delgato. When she drew nearer she could tell that the group was chatting about something privately, they were so close that their various furs, except for McHorn, could be braided together by some cute girl in a dress. Judy's ears radioed in on them, the twitching lengths like a hungry bottomless pit.

As she passed the reception desk the group lifted their heads with some degree of inconspicuousness, but Judy still eyed them with a crooked brow. "Clawhauser, I'm going on my break." Judy said, her feet then quickly carrying her towards the big double doors.

"Ma'am yes ma'am, enjoy your break!" Clawhauser said half sure if he wasn't allowed to speak to her.

The group slowly took a couple steps towards the door as Judy exited the building. "It'll be a good thing if you don't repeat anything we told you to her. Any kind of conversation about Nick is a surefire way to get your eyes clawed out." McHorn warned the newbie.

Nicole nodded slowly as she watched the bunny exit the building. Upon hearing Judy's patrol car crank up Nicole squeaked in alarm and ran out of the Precinct to catch up to her partner.

Nicole hurried down the steps of the ZPD headquarters and dashed out into the parking lot. "HEY!" The lynx waved her arms above her head to get Judy's attention. "HEY!" Judy stopped her rumbling vehicle beside her and raised an eyebrow at her from the driver side of the car.

"What?" Judy asked, her voice reached the lynx's ears like the disregard of a cigarette butt in the empty street.

Nicole slightly recoiled as that word fell off her tongue. She steeled herself with a brisk shake of her head. "I would like to accompany you on break, if you don't mind." Nicole clasped together her palms in avidity.

After a couple seconds of staring, Judy shook her head. "Unfortunately, I do mind." Something flashed in her eyes, an emotion too quick for Nicole's eyes to catch it, but blue lightning certainly fell in her dull purple eyes.

"Please? I won't talk, I promise…" Nicole insisted, smiling. She only wanted to spend more time with the famous Judy Hopps that uncovered the greatest scandal in Zootopia's history. She did, however, wondered how such a hero could've been affected so negatively that she would have a whole change of character. How close was she and this Nick character anyways? Weren't they just partners? Aren't they two different animals? Not only that, but aren't they also predator and prey? Certainly nothing romantic could form between a predator and a _prey._

Judy executed a long, deliberate blink before answering. She looked at her phone once more before sighing in submission. She peeked at Nicole for a glance before motioning that she could join her.

Not before long, the two was barreling down the bypass in the fast lane. The ride was smooth, and quite relaxing; starkly contrasted against the aura of anxiety and depression that seemed to inundate the suddenly claustrophobic car cabin around Judy as she drove in tangible silence. Silence was like a boa constrictor.

Nicole brought her gaze from the beautiful sky above down to her arm which was propped up on the passenger side door and then over to Judy who's eyes resembled a sopping ball of yarn. She had noticed that they've been following the blue signs for the hospital for the duration of songs by Gazelle, Kendrick Pawmar, and Kanine West. From what she was told by Officer McHorn: Nick is still in critical condition at the hospital and that Judy spends whatever time she has at the hospital. So in conclusion, Nicole put two and two together and now her attention was fully on the upset bunny.

Nicole changed her sitting position to a more conversational one, but before she let out a single word, McHorn's warning drifted back into her mind.

 _It'll be a good thing if you don't repeat anything we told you to her._

Nicole however stared into the fire and with a sneer jumped head first into the fire's greedy maw as if she thought shit wouldn't burn on her.

With confidence she asked, "Are we going to see Officer Wilde?"

Judy eyes widened slightly and her gaze seemed distant as though she was staring at a ghost in the middle of the road. Her paw grip tightened around the steering wheel, so tight in fact her claws could be heard poking and kneading the rubber wheel. Her body was piano strings as the seconds went by.

"What… did… what did you say?" Judy eked out, the tension springing from it's previously wound position.

Nicole felt instant regret as soon as the question left her lips. Her nice, conversational smile and posture deprecated into an uneasy frown and a defensive form against door, you know, just in case Judy would keep to McHorn's legend of scratching her eyes out.

"Officer W-Wilde… N- Nick, your old partner… is that who we're going to see?" Nicole muttered out, her 3 foot-something stature shrinking under Judy's smothering gaze.

" _ **First**_ of all: he is still my partner, you are _just_ a temporary replacement." Judy was clenching to the steering wheel so tightly that Nicole was fearful that the wheel would come right off. " _ **Two**_ : didn't you promise that you were going to be quiet?" Judy spat.

Nicole seemed shocked at the air of hostility that permeated the interior of the car. Her green eyes looked everywhere but the irate bunny to her left. The bold, naive lynx then held her hands together in embarrassment and hung her head down in shame. She was warned not to make any conversations about Nick to Judy, now she've done and angered one of her role models. "I- I- I'm sorry… I- I was just worried about you…"

Judy merged into the far right lane. "I am not the one anyone should be worried about." Her voice was dark as it oozed from her jaws. She then said matter-factly, "I am not the one dying in a hospital bed. I am not the one who have tubes down my mouth." Judy's lips began to tremble and her tone wavered as though she was fighting back tears. Her emphasis on the word 'not' was felt within Nicole like a knee to the gut.

"I'm not the one, who has an incompetent, selfish partner who gets you into trouble, breaks protocol, and almost kills you in the process." Judy exited down the off ramp and came to a stop light a quarter of a mile in. Tears threatened to emancipate from her reddening eyes as she tried to push back her heavy emotions as far up the slope of her mind as she could struggle.

Nicole stared down at her exposed, clenched toes in angst as she barely picked up Judy's final words. "I did this to you… I'm so sorry Nick." Her voice was as choppy as the waves admist a tropical storm.

The two sat at the long, immutable stop light in silence as Judy swallowed down the course stone of sorrow. Her depression seemed to deepen as she continued to think about what she did to her dear partner. Her head felt as though it held up the ocean's seaweed fresh from the depths of it. She didn't even bother looking up, even as horns of impatient, annoyed drivers behind her began blaring at her as the lights above blinked green.

Nicole looked scared, she didn't know whether to console her or leave her alone. She flinched in chagrin as other vehicular patrons drove past them, horns blaring, and hi-beams flashing, and not-so-friendly gestures of irritability being thrown up. The lynx gulped and looked over to Judy, she felt so sorry for her. Nicole mentally slapped herself, she was irrefutably warned not to mention Judy's hospitalized partner, but she did so anyways. That thought again kicked her mind around in regret.

"M- Miss Hopps… Judy, are you okay?" Nicole reached out a caring hand to her superior, she then halted her progress. _What if she takes offense, what if she refuses me again?_ Nicole took another glance at Judy and gulped at the look of lost and depression in her eyes. _What do I have to lose… perhaps an eye maybe…_ Nicole sighed silently to herself and mustered up the courage to place a hand on Judy's back.

She could feel her tense up a bit at her touch. "Judy…?" Nicole reiterated. "I'm sorry-"

"I'm fine."

Nicole frowned as Judy shrugged her hand away from her. She felt as though she was just left in a darkened supermarket standing in front of the cloud-breathing, frozen cabinets by her faceless mother.

Judy drove off away from the stop light and onwards to the hospital. After about a couple minutes of driving and turning and stopping, Judy looked over at Nicole. An imp of poignant compunction danced over Judy's heart with cleated shoes as she took in the grand episode of their car ride. Her frown deepened and she reached over to place a paw on Nicole's leg.

"I'm fine." Judy said in a more convincing tone. "Really." Judy flashed her gaze over to the young lynx once more, this time with a less-than-forced half smile.

"Thank you… Nicole."

(-) 

Judy signed the hospital visitor sheet and hurriedly walked the long, pristine, white hallways of the hospital towards the elevators. She pressed the 'going up' button and waited. She couldn't wait to see him. The expectation of his fur tickling her initiated a wave of goosebumps beneath her pelt. His natural, vulpine scent enticed her nostrils with every inhale, his scent was like heady hair pomade. Oh, sweet cheese and crackers, she couldn't wait. Judy looked up to the floor counter and the lit down arrow. Watching the dull lights descend, her body lit sparklers in her heart and released a million butterflies in her stomach.

 **FL: 3**

 **FL: 2**

 **FL: 1**

 **Ding!**

Judy smiled as the wide, pewter doors opened, allowing the current passengers to exit. She then hopped into the elevator and pressed the loose button numbered '7'. She looked past the coconut water walls and up at the LED upwards directional sign next to the climbing red numbers as she fished thoughts from the back of her mind to the foreground. _Maybe today will be the day that he wakes up. Maybe today will be the day that he'll hold me back. Maybe today will be the day that he calls me a dumb bunny like he used to._ Judy giggled as the light hearted thoughts of vigor and good health striking Nick awake. _What if he… what if today he kisses me back?_ Judy clasped her paws onto her face as a deep rose blush exploded on her face. She made a weird nasal sound as she thought of her handsome prince waking up to a kiss by the 'super heroine bunny of Zootopia'.

The elevator slowly stopped it's ascent to floor seven Judy's heart was close to exploding with ebullience. She took a step out the elevator and was almost blindsided by a team of doctors and nurses rushing through the 7th floor corridor barking orders to each other. Judy eye's followed them as they headed down the same hall.

"What happened nurse?" Judy could hear the doctor, a badger, ask one of the nurses beside her.

"Patient's heart stop beating again." The mink replied.

"Room…" The doctor took the medical docket from the mink then lifted a pinch-full of pristine lab papers to inspect the code status of the patient. "7 dash 32...?"

Judy's heart felt as though it slammed into a brick wall. Room 7 dash 32B was Nick's room. She followed the team on her toes with her ears pricked.

"Room 7 dash 32 A" The badger restated. "Excuse me." The team dashed into the room directly across from Nick's and closed the door behind themselves.

Judy felt the urge to hurl her utility belt at the good doctor for scaring her like that. Still though, it didn't help that she knew that Nick was still in dire straits at the moment. A team of doctors could be rushing to his room any day now, and she just knew it.

Judy stopped outside Nick's door and took this moment to flatten any unruly fur on her with saliva-slicked paws. Judy pulled her ears back as though she was preparing for a picture and then put on an excited smile. _Okay, Nick here I come!_

Just as Judy's paw reached for the worn, brass door handle, the door opened wide with a whoosh of air. The scent of cinnamon and light cologne hit her twitching nose. And to her surprise, she was face to face with Finnick.

Finnick's light brown eyes grew in surprise and slight part bewilderment as he found out Judy was looking down at him. He looked almost as though he was going to retreat back into the room to escape her, he was so caught off guard. He caught himself and then put on a sly smirk that almost mimicked Nick's own sauvy sneer. It must be a fox thing. He then spoke, "Fancy seeing the fuzz up in the hospital."

Judy's gaze never left his smirking muzzle and only the subtle leaning back of her body did she move. Finally physically pulling herself from the stupor she found herself in, she questioned: out of all people, visiting Nick, why Finnick? He usually seems so disconnected from Nick, especially since he joined the ZPD, for obvious reasons. She was the only person that she knew that visits him now. "Yeah, I was just here to see Nick." She looked at him for a second longer this time allowing the mutual familiarity show in her tone. "Fancy seeing you here as well… miss your daddy?" She joked, shooting him her own smug look.

Finnick's face lost its smugness and was replaced with a tired look in his eye and a less-than-pleased frown. "Yah, har har har. Was just checking up on him, seeing if he was still alive…" A flash of sadness blinked in his eyes, but any remnants of that flashed away. "Really was surprised that someone actually popped him," Finnick made a gun with his small hand and pointed it up at the door jamb beside him, Judy blinked. "I mean, I've worked with him with many different jobs and never did anyone ever get as close as," Finnick thrusted a paw towards his old, sleeping friend. "You know."

Judy felt sadness crawl up her spine again, she felt like Finnick should be spitting mad at her for letting Nick get hurt on the job with her. A frown weighed down her face, "I'm sorry… I can understand if you're angry with me…" Judy's head hung low and her ears drooped like a leaf encompassed by fresh morning dew.

Finnick looked at Judy for a couple of seconds, his mood secretly falling with hers. He barely let his head hang for a second before picking it back up though, shaking it, and then forcing a smile. "Nah, don't worry too much about it, he shouldn't been diving into things he wasn't bred to do." He paused, half expecting for Judy to lambaste him for such a closed perspective, but she served him only a blink so he continued. "Besides, Nick's a big animal now, he's going to make it just fine." The tiny fox then looked to the side and threw his paws into his pockets, "Anyways, I gotta bounce; too much sadness goes on around here… cramping my style." He walked past Judy and headed towards the elevators. He pulled his shades out of his shirt and put them on. "Ciao." He said finally before disappearing.

Judy's unblinking gaze followed the fennec fox until he disappeared into the elevator. Her mind ran over their conversation and tried to make sense of it all. _I'm just overthinking things._ The country bunny then shook her head to clear her mind of the unprecedented bump in with Finnick and continued through the door of Nick's hospital room.

Warm light from the afternoon sun passed through tall, tan fabric blinds, lighting up the room in a marigold blaze. The warm, crumbly scent of cinnamon and the sharp, tuxedo remnants of Finnick's cologne perfumed the still air. Behind those scents and a lot more earthy, the scent of blueberries, and a bouquet of sweet peas, sweet autumn clematis, and hyacinth kissed the air sweetly, brought Judy back home. She couldn't help but grin at the wistful, bubbly world that she was transported to, briefly, because like a lasso she was wrenched back to reality by the tiny beeps and soft sounds of machines working in cohesion as though it was the music of the room. All felt comfortable, regarding. The only way it could get even more comfortable is if Nick woke up right this moment and utter out some snarky, sarcastic reply.

Judy stepped in and closed the door behind her with a _thack_ that hushed the room. It was an overwhelming lure that wrapped around Judy's neck and brought the suffocating bunny closer to the bed that held the still love of her life. With each silent step she took towards him she anticipated him to spring up and surprise her. She hoped with all her might, at least so she could start breathing again.

Step

Step 

She held herself gingerly as the medical equipment seemed to crowd around her, pushing and shoving like professors urging that she pay attention. Crowding around her poking and prodding. _'See what you did.' 'This is what happens when you do not follow protocol.' 'The fox stinks; smell like a fox buried underneath ginger and ginseng.'_

Step

Step

Step

 _I won't even care if this is the biggest, most elaborate prank you've ever schemed. Just wake up. I'll still give you the best reaction, then you can dub me the dumbest bunny of all the land, I wouldn't care._ _If you're going to surprise me, do it now, come on you ex-con, con me. Con me. Con me. Con me…_

Step

Step

Step

Judy reached his bedside and stared solemnly into his face, somewhat disappointed that her prayers weren't answered. _It's okay, as long as he's alive._ A tiny voice in the back of her mind whispered.

Slowly, she strained a small smile as she looked endearingly at her fox. His face, his sleeping face seemed so silently content to be asleep. Her smile faltered, but she continued to gaze at him, at his handsome face. Soon she found herself reminiscing of how that face out make her smile. The goofy expressions he'll make while they had stakeouts just to lighten the boredom. The way he raised his eyebrows once Judy said something sly. The way he'll pull a suave smirk when he was trying to seduce Judy, and she wouldn't care… That face right there gave her so much life. A velvety cloud of longing hung heavy in her blossoming eyes as she peered into his rusty, peaceful features.

She then looked to his mouth and a slight blush enveloped her cheeks and her tail flicked in interest. She felt almost compelled to see if she would awake him by a kiss… then again, it didn't work the _first several times_ she'd tried… so it most likely wouldn't work now...

"Hey, Nick." Her voice was dulcet, her eyelashes batted twice upon speaking his name.

"I'm back today." Judy's smile hung like a wreath as she leaned on the bed enthusiastically, her paws grasping the plastic, white bed rails, her face leaning close to his. She took a glutted lung full of his earthy, savory scent.

"You're looking well," Curious purple eyes flickered to the machine next to the bed as it read his vitals. "Looking as great as ever, Wilde." She took another deep breath, her nostrils sampling every flavor in the air. Something caught her attention, it was like blueberries, but leathery in a way; artificial in another.

Judy looked to the cluttered bedside to a small white table that hosted on its top the bouquet of flowers in a porcelain vase. Around that vase, strung with what seemed like the gentlest of diligence, was a little trinket that Judy found amusing. She chortled, "Blueberry car-fragrance tree, huh? From Finnick I presume?" Judy asked her sleeping partner, she conversationally turned her head to him as though she expected an answer. She then turned and leaned against the bed rails and folded her arms, her head slightly tilted up.

"Yah know, I actually ran into him earlier, I even joked that he missed his _daddy_." Judy snickered. _I do too as well._ She thought to herself. "I know that you would've howled in delight to see the expression on his face." Judy snickered again, this time subconsciously just trying to fill gaps in her sentences with any sort of sound. It was a certain type of white hell to listen to the listless beeping and whirring around her.

However with little else to say and more on her mind to do something, Judy let the room the fall into silence again. With somber eyes studying the white and beige instruments around her, she then slowly turned and put her gaze on her fox. Nick's chest rose and fell rhythmically in tune to a flat beep. An occasional whirl sang out as a small bag filled with a liquid of some sort pumped. Life support systems orchestrated the expensive dirge that played in the room. Suddenly she felt as if she stared into the belly of a massive white and chrome dungeon called As she came to the next topic in her mind, her tiny heart began to race. Her heart raced and scurried and to counter she began breathing controlled, smooth breaths through pursed lips to calm herself as she prepared to speak.

"I've been making headway in the case we failed last month… I've been a busy bee!" Judy lifted her hands in excitement, and in little part trying to alleviate the stress that came with the topic, before letting them fall back to her sides with a soft pat.

In a softer tone she continued more seriously, "I've been working non-stop for the both of us." A determined, fiery look in her eyes blazed as she continued. "I promise that I'll find whoever shot you, and I'm going to throw the biggest book at whoever did it and make sure that they rot in jail!" Judy started to grind her teeth in anger. "And then after they rot I'm going throw their sorry carcass into a shoebox and bury it somewhere far away." Her tiny fists clenched as she fumed.

She ground her teeth for a few moments more before angrily huffing and then kicking an invisible ball across the room with a final huff.

As the fire in her chest ebbed away she began to calm down, and as she watched Nick her happiness steadily returned. A smug look then creeped on her face and she raised her chin, mimicking Nick's own trademarked cavalier. "What did you say? I'm the greatest bunny to ever live?" Judy smiled at him, "Oh, don't say anything if it's true…"

She stood in silence for a couple moments, her face shadowed in lamentation. _I shouldn't have said that… I would rather be the dumbest bunny alive if it were to mean that you would wake up right now._ But somehow she knew that he would fine hilarity in her dark joke.

After a couple minutes of silent mourning, Judy then looked back up to her partner. Her heart began pulling the strings to her body's ambulation. Her mind let her heart take the wheel, and the rest of body did nothing to object. Slowly, she pulled herself up on Nick's bed, minding every wire and tube, and then gently inserted herself next to him, nestled comfortably under his arm. She pulled up her legs and slipped them under the thick cotton blankets and then wrapped her legs around Nick's right leg in a cuddling fashion.

Imprudently comfortable, Judy took a deep, lung filling breath of Nick's scent. As she inhaled she tugged at his rough red fur in bliss that dilated her eyes and then without wasting a beat, she slipped her hand underneath his crinkly hospital gown and ran her paw through his soft, fluffy belly fur. Judy smiled giddily and continued to feel over the fox's delicate underbelly.

Slowly, her paw sashayed side to side and up from Nick's hips up to his chest then back down. His springy fur… his strong, toned muscles underneath… his steady breathing… his heartbeat… his wires and tubes… his scar...

"Wake up, wake up, wake up my dear partner."

.

"Please…"

"I miss you more than you know."

(-) 

Nicole frowned at her phone warning her that her phone's battery was at fifteen percent and that she needed to charge it soon. She rolled her bored eyes and switched on power save mode. Just to think, she arrived at the hospital when her phone was at ninety-three percent. The lithe lynx stood to stretch. "How long have I been here?"

The lynx looked at her wristwatch and frowned as she took in the time: 7:32 pm. _It's late…_ She knew that she had said that she'll wait for her and that she'll be fine, and she'll be more than happy to leave the patrol car here, but now she was starting to regret it. Sure, Netfilm kept her satiated for the first two hours, then a podcast of the evening news, and finally up to now she was scribbling on her phone writing poetry. _What is taking Judy so long?_ Nicole puffed out her nostrils before forcing her tail not to visibly twitch. She shot her poison green eyes towards the clerk speaking to a patient and pointing something on a clipboard. 

After finding out Officer Wilde's room number, 7-32B, she rode an elevator up. Within the cramped elevator with a couple of clearly sore-foot nurses, a doctor, and a teenage punk, she could only look with laser beams at the innocuous picture of a simple happy clown wishing staff to have a great day. _Stupid clown._

 _Our break should have ended hours ago. She can be moody all she wants, but she is not going to bring me down with her._ She huffed indignantly. As she exited the elevator. _I'm going to be one of the greatest officers anyone has ever seen one day. I can't do that by sitting in a waiting room for hours._ Nicole stomped down the hallway of the seventh floor. _Oh yeah, leave me in the waiting room for four hours, huh? Well, I'm about to give her a piece of my mind!_

She reached the door of 32B and grasped the cold brass handle. She swallowed and readied her retort towards the senior bunny officer. Even though hairballs played in her abdomen tickling her resolve, she pushed through the anxiety and yanked on the lever, the door clicking. "Here we go…" Nicole growled.

Nicole opened the door slowly and stepped in, her mouth poised with ammo in the form of frustration, she didn't mind confronting Judy now, she was ready to speak her mind.

"Miss Officer H-" Right off the bat Nicole's intended remark grew thick in her throat as she tried to comprehend what her eyes were recording. Before her, sleeping soundly as the animal next to her, is the famed hero of Zootopia, Judy Hopps.

She was closely nuzzled next to the fox and was even snoring as though she hadn't slept in weeks. Her rise and fall of her chest was doing double time compared to Nick's. She looked more peaceful than she had seen her in the last few weeks of being her replacement partner. While taking a closer inspection, from the door because Nicole was too shocked to budge an inch, she could see that she was actually smiling contently as she slumbered.

Without even Judy explaining firsthand, she could clearly assume the true relationship of Judy and her old partner. They were a lot more than simply work partners. They were probably a lot more than simply best friends as well. Nicole gasped as she started to understand the grand scheme of things. The way that Judy visits him every day during breaks and after work. The way she breaks down at the slightest mentioning of his name. The way that she is cuddled up to him now, there could be only one explanation.

She loved him…


	3. Chapter 3

_A heavy downpour had come while we were back on our way to the Precinct. The consistent pittering on the rooftop came to great relief; it was quiet and the air was still within the car. Something was different though, Officer Judy Hopps was much more alive now. She still didn't talk, she still didn't talk to me, maybe was she embarrassed about what I may have seen? I saw her, lying in bed with her old partner, Nick Wilde. Her eyes were closed, her mouth was content, and her attitude was appeased, sleeping like a baby. She seemed so peaceful, she seemed so happy just to be in his embrace; albeit he was still comatose, he looked as though he was cradling her in his arm, or maybe she had done that in her sake, I don't know…_

Nicole lied on her back, her mind going a past the speeding limit and her brain putting on a blind eye to her mind's freedom. In other words, her mind spun freely, excitedly remembering the details and advent episodes of the day. Her body seemed to spin counterclockwise to the dextral spin of the ceiling fan above. She felt numb to her bed beneath her, and numb to the chill that kissingly piqued her fur to slightly ruffle. Even the entrancing sounds of the rain outside decided to allow her ears to take a break so her mind could freely roam.

And roam it did.

 _It was beautiful. It was the most beautiful thing that I've ever seen. Judy loved him, she loved him through the pain, through the accident, and through the depressive halcyon that comatose is. No matter what though, she declared no act of forfeit. She showed no sign of wavering; she trudged through the quicksand of defeat and acquiescence, but kept her head held high and her eyes piercing with confidence and determination. I have never seen such a powerful force of will and infatuation before. This power, this relentless soul that took haven in the meticulously brave bunny, it burned at high capacity for that fox…_

Nicole now seemed to stare pass the ceiling fan, her eyes focused on something far, far away. For once she actually heard herself breathe; a blissfully interested exhale warranting a cloud of condensation from her muzzle. She thought some more, her current hypothesis on how society and how relationships worked and _should_ work clashed with the reality of how real life is.

Her mind's gears found a new cog, and thus engaged it.

 _A bunny and a fox… together… in love? Isn't that taboo? That was heavily ridiculed and civilly illegal like 50 years ago… that just isn't right: a fox, who is a predator, and a bunny, a prey, being together. Don't even make any sense! But… if it is so, if it doesn't make any sense, and if it is taboo, then why do she have a legitimate connection with him. Why do her heart and soul flutter in his presence? Why is she at peace being in love with him then? Do they not care about what the public thinks? Do they not care that they're of different species and classification?_

 _ **They don't care.**_

 _ **She doesn't care, that stubborn, passionate rabbit.**_

Nicole eyes twinkled as she turned her head towards the moon as it peeked from a cloud. The window's medium refracted the pewter sheen of the moon's gaze and its light filled the room, and then its light filled Nicole's chatoyant eyes as she became enlighten within. Her parents, they've always told her what was right. They always known right, right? Wrong. Love is universal, love is true, and love is infinite, no matter who, what you are, and what you prefer to eat.

Judy's love is true, her love is infinite, and her love is for that fox. It doesn't matter what anyone else think! And that's the beauty of it, it's so personal, it's so unique, it's so beautiful and brave!

 _I wonder if I could ever find such love…_

Nicole eyes fluttered as the epiphany of just how sleepy she truly was encompassed her.

 _I do wonder though, how is this 'Nick Wilde' like in person… Just what about him is so invigorating to inspire limitless love that transverses stigmatized stereotypes about love and who/how to love. Just what prodigious quality do Nick possess that is so inviting? I wonder…_

Sleep cradled Nicole sweetly as a mother would a babe, and slowly sleep enveloped her tiresome mind. The air remained chilled like a January morning. The light of pewter remained its watchful vigil over the lynx as her breathing slowed and her fluffy paws gripped the various satin pillows on her bed in her slumber.

The ingénue then, slept like a baby.

Tomorrow, Nicole will wake up just a bit less naive than she was before.

(-)

"You got this fox. You are strong. You are smart. This is just a bit of money flow. Just buckle up and do your job!" The fox's eyes looked up and down himself in the tangible, degrading, infra dig costume that he reluctantly wore. Upon his head was a hat that sported di-hue stripes of pumpkin and marigold, and to ensure his indignation and embarrassment for the uniform, an oversized muffin sat on top of his hat by a small spring. With each movement the muffin danced on top of his head and rode his hat like a rodeo. His shirt had the same color scheme as his hat, but fortunately his bottoms weren't as ugly; the fox wore khaki cargo shorts. Though embarrassing to wear, the fox kept the uniform clean and sharp as though he had work at two and had a mob boss to meet after work.

The fox grimaced down at his uniform in the mirror with distaste souring his mouth. He swept his hand against his khaki shorts and made sure every last bit of his uniform was well, uniform and sharp, despite how much he wanted to light it a-blaze. The fox rolled a lint roller along his sleeves and grabbed his nametag before taking a glance at his watch. "Crap! I'm going to be late!" After grabbing his keys from the front of his van, the fox then barged through the barnyard doors of his van, slamming them shut behind himself, and then raced across the street towards his job.

The fox sprinted straight across the street, somehow forgetting all about crossing a street safely, and for a reward for his idiocy, cries of blaring horns ricocheted in his ears like bullets made by firecrackers and cymbals. The tiny fox growled as he booked it from one side of the street to the other. Once cleared of the black pavement he then turned down the sidewalk and continued to run.

He rushed past the upper-middle class patrons of the city, their egotistic muzzles pointed towards the sky in their own self-pride, sipping on their overpriced coffees and teas, snacking on tarts and pastries, the tiny fox couldn't get how anyone could conform to such aristocracy. Society sure does know how to separate the _bourgeoisie_ from the _hood. Ain't no 'Snarlbucks' in the ghetto._ The fox thought as he push past another sweater-clad couple.

His eyes saw his workplace just past the flower shoppe and started to slow down and fix his fur. He pulled his fur from his face to his ears before he made his appearance. No matter how much he hated the job, he felt like it was his duty to look well whenever the single moms come in to get their precious, usually chubby children sweet, cinnamon doused treats. Suddenly, without any type of warning, a woman opened the wide door of the flower shoppe open, basically knocking the fox's hat right off his head, and sending him stumbling.

"Dammit lady, can't you see I'm walking here?!"

"Oops!" Nicole squatted down and helped pick up the little fox's hat from the ground. "Oh, I'm so so sorry," Nicole's gleaming eyes gazed at the name tag of the little fox. "Finnick… Here let me help." She handed the hilarious hat to Finnick and smiled.

Finnick looked up and down the lynx in a slight, guarded curiosity. She was pretty, she had eyes like a goddess, a fur the color of gold and the shadows of the night, a body so luscious; she was basically the whole package. Finnick looked up her up one more time before snatching his hat and placing it on his head and turned away. "Yeah, whatever, sorry for your loss." He then walked away and entered the donut shop the next shop down.

"...Your loss?" Nicole asked silently, she looked confused as to why he would say that before she then lifted her left hand to reveal that she was still holding a beautiful bouquet of poppies, sunflowers, peonies, and gladiolas.

(-)

 _What am I even going to say to him?_

Nicole drove down the bypass, soft jazz music playing in her car, the coolness of the A/C unit chilling her skin beneath her fur, she was utterly relaxed. The afternoon sun peeked through the spotted sky, its warming rays curious. The cars zoomed by on her left as she drove the slow lane. She flowers to her right filled her nostrils with the soothing fragrance of its aureate perfume. Today is turning out to a beautiful day.

Her Spottyfly radio then tuned to another song, and supplementary a melodious, rich, debonair voice swaggered through the speakers of Nicole's car. A smile grew upon her face and a satisfied sigh escaped her lovely lips. Her whiskers trembled in happiness. Her heart fluttered at the handsome voice that is Jerry Vole.

The symphonious arrangement of music and sound filled, no, inundated the cabin of the car as Nicole drove. The sounds of the instruments and the lilt tone of Jerry Vole's voice gave Nicole such a feeling…

 _What am I going to say?_

 _Is this even right? Oh,... Judy would kill me if I visited him alone. No… no… she wouldn't right? I'm just paying my zealous faith that he'll heal heavenly, no trifling incentives here._

 _I am curious though, about him. He must be very important. I must meet him, he could perhaps, once he awaken, propel me to my dreams; I can be one of the greatest Zootopia has ever seen. From what I've heard it was him, the ex con, who have helped Judy reach the heights that she reigns now. So, it would only make sense to meet him._

After she got done rationalizing her motivations to see Officer Wilde, she then turned off the bypass and drove to the stop light about a mile away from the exit ramp. She sat there at the stop light and reflected on how Judy acted like when she mentioned Nick while they were going to visit him the first place. She remembers that Judy was absolutely distraught at the mentioning of his, Nicole suggests that it was because she have grown so close to him, and that she blames herself heavily for the predicament that he is in now. How much love does it take to make someone want to preserve everything of the loved one, so much so that their name even becomes a sacred memento? How much love did that fox show that bunny?

The music began to fade out, insinuating at another song is about to play, and in its decrescendo of harmony and sound, Nicole's own heart began to sink and decline in liveliness, not at the fact that one of her favorite songs of Jerry Vole was ending, nor was it that she missed his handsome, mellifluous voice already, but instead because the realization that she herself have never felt a sempiternal, devout passion for anyone as Judy had for Nick, and vice versa. She began to wonder what it felt like to be in Judy's position. She wondered how it may feel to be loved to no end. She wondered and wondered, what if she was in Judy's shoes. Perhaps then she could understand this amount of love.

Nicole never knew this type of love before. She, at twenty-one, never knew this amount of affection and desire and passion. And her naive mind was already being molded by the ways of Zootopia, showing her the ropes, pointing out the sky and the ground beneath to show her the possibilities that this massive city can procure, showing her the truth within.

Nicole stood in the elevator and listened to its soft, monotonous rhythm. The hum of the elevator, the monotonous sound of the music, the crinkling of the plastic that Nicole held to that bundled the flowers safely, and finally the sound of blood pulsating in her ears, her mind felt like it was about to explode from the slight anxiety and the over-encompassing, irrelevant sounds that whispered in her ears. She doesn't even know why she got dressed up so cutely. She feels like deep down she wanted to make a great impression to Nick, but of course, since that he's in comatose, the outfit was wasted. " _But it never hurts to look pretty."_ Argued the lynx within herself.

Ding.

Ding.

Ding.

The sound of the large aluminum doors opening along a track sounded next.

 _Seventh floor, time to say hello…_

Nicole walked slowly down the linoleum corridors towards 34B, her canines biting down on her lip the whole way. The pitter patter of her soft paw pads against the shiny ground echoed gracefully. The air smelled of a soft lemony scent. The air was a bit warm, but tolerable. Nicole closed in on Nick Wilde's door and froze.

 _I'm here…_ Her eyes stared at the worn brass handle as though she was trying to telekinetically operate the handle with her mind. _Just have to open the door…_ Slowly, her free hand grasped the handle and applied pressure until the handle went all the way down to its full open position. Slowly, she then opened the door and pushed her way in.

The afternoon light filled the room though the tall, tan shades that shielded the windows. The warm light that passed through the shades lit the room passionately. Nicole could see the speckles of dust that swam in the still air. The room gave her a homey feel that tugged at her face to smile and her body to relax. The room smelled slightly of cinnamon, a tiny kiss of cologne, blueberries, and souring flowers. Together, the room smelled like home.

The now relaxed lynx then took a few steps into the room and closed the door behind her. She felt a trickle of goosebumps slither down her back as she watched Nick from across the room. His body was mostly still save for the slight rise and fall of his chest as he breathed softly and slowly. The minute beeps and the almost subtle groan of the fan above was the music of the room. It was so silent.

 _What do I say?_

Part of her dared not to walk any further, but the more curious side of her, the part that wanted to know who this Nick Wilde was, persuaded her feet to take a few more step towards him. Nicole gazed at his face, her beautiful eyes graced over every feature, not missing a single strand of fur as though she was looking for ticks. It felt so odd to finally be next to the officer that helped save Zootopia, became such of an important character to the ZPD, and a changer of lives to Judy Hopps. She felt as though perhaps she could absorb some of the greatness that he was through just sheer brainpower. She was under the notion that he was kind of a hero, and that was at least to say _intriguing_ by the lynx's standards.

As she watched him she could definitely admit one thing: the fox, Nick Wilde, is one handsome fellow…

Nicole tore her eyes off of him and held up the flowers that she brought and presented it to him. "I brought some flowers… I don't know what good it'll do though, not like you can smell them or anything… or can you?" Nicole smiled mischievously and put the bountiful bouquet up to his muzzle, so close in fact that a couple flowers actually slightly was sucked towards his nose and was blown back outwards as though the flowers were caught in a breeze. Nicole giggled childishly before retracting the flowers and placing the collection into a beautiful vase that stood on a nightstand next to the bed. She removed the old bouquet and replaced it with her own.

Nicole looked at the vase and humorously eyed the small car fragrance tree that hung around the neck of the vase. "That's cute…" Nicole murmured to herself before placing the vase back down and slowly walking back to the bed.

She then began to walk around the room, a Jerry Vole song being played by a persistent earworm, and so she began to hum the melody of the song that she listened to in the car by the rich-voiced troubadour. She paced around the room as she tried to figure out what to say to the downed officer as she hummed aloud the catchy melodies of the song.

(-)

Judy drove into the visitor parking of the Fine Feather Hospital (Hospital of Zootopia). She parked in a space out of the sun and once she parked she brought down the vanity mirror so she could get a good look at herself. She reached into the back seat, retrieved a bunny sized face-rag, and then opened the half empty water bottle that sat patiently in the cup holder. She damped the rag with the water and then quickly, but thoroughly, wiped her exposed fur, mainly her face, with the rag to clean herself up. Once satisfied, she then bounced out of the patrol car and made her way to the front entrance of the hospital, a grand, happy smile on her face and a pep in her hop.

 _Today's turning out to be a great day._

(-)

Music.

 _Music, is that music?_

Ears became attentive to the sound, the sound of someone around the unexpectant listener. Eyes rolled towards the direction of the song. Muscles twinged in attempt to move towards the sound.

That tune, that melody, it sounds just like Jerry Vole. The Velvety Pipes of Jerry Vole…

 _Who is making that noise? Who's humming a track from Jerry Vole? Sounds female…_

(-)

Nicole returned back to Nick's side, her humming filling the room with Jerry Vole's melodies. His song vibrated through the air by Nicole's throat, and thusly the room felt just a bit more alive and esprit. Nicole looked down at the fox. _The more you look at him, the more captivating he really is. Judy must feel pretty darn proud to have a partner like him. I sure would love to be in her place sometimes, I mean…_ She finished the song by voice, this time letting her soft, ingenuous voice carry the remaining tune of the song.

As her voice sweetly lilted the room's air, she then watched the sleeping fox with a new expression, something along the lines of romantic and intrigued. _Well… Sleep tight Officer Nick Wilde, I'll see you some other day. I may as well get out of here…_

Just as her eyes blinked its lavish lashes.

Just as her hand reached out for his face.

Just as her mind, saturated in excitement at her bit of innocent flirting with the sleeping, handsome vulpine, became much apparent of Nicole's developing feelings.

The door to Nick's room opened.

 _And then_

Nick's eyes slowly opened.

(-)

Dear Reader, are you enjoying the story so far? I'd love to see more reviews, it really encourages me to continue and point the story in better directions. Anywho, see you next chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

_I did what I had to do._

Finnick paced within his van. Lately, his nibbling conscious has been eating away at his psyche. His conscious, instead of being a voice that represented reasoning within his mind, instead became an echoing, hammering of guilt within his skull. Echoing, reverberating, like mechanical sounds of metal striking against metal which pounded his mind: painful, condemning, overwhelming.

"I DID WHAT I HAD TO DO DAMMIT!"

The tiny fox roared as he slammed his paws on the vanity that held a mirror. His frustration scared the vanity and the mirror, making it tremble and shake. He took a good look at himself in the mirror. Anyone would've seen a frustrated fox who obviously needed to take their fluffy behind to sleep, but he, Finnick, he saw a lowlife who couldn't handle a little secret. Then again, many would be quite frantic if they've done the deed that Finnick have done. So much was at stake, and so many consequences could be reaped, and Finnick don't even know if the money was even worth it all.

The agitated fox continued to look at himself in the mirror for several more minutes. His snarl had dissolved into a simple frown. His eyes bared no more anger, but instead simply the aftermath of a long, ponderous night, too many drinks of cheap liquor, and a heaping helping of cognitive dissonance.

Finnick slowly turned from the mirror and then made his way to the little pallet of pillows and blankets where he lays his head at every night.

"I did what I had to…" He mumbled to himself as he slowly drifted off to sleep. "I did what I had to…" His voice slowly lost volume until he merely mouthed the phrased one more time before his body fell to sleep.

" _I did what I had to…"_

(-)

Judy had been waiting for this moment for a whole month now. Judy has gone to see him every day, twice a day, skipping out on meals, and skipping out on sleep for this moment. She's been here to make sure his favorite scents, his favorite shows, and his music, stayed around him for this moment. She made sure that she gave him tummy rubs, chin scratches, eskimo-kisses, nuzzles, and the whole nine yards for this moment.

 _ **I**_ _was supposed to be here when he awoken._ _ **I**_ _was supposed to be the first animal to see his eyes after so long._ _ **I**_ _was supposed to be the first thing that he saw after a whole month in conscious-less purgatory._ _ **IT WAS SUPPOSE TO BE ME!**_

Judy's eyes slowly cascaded towards Nicole with a burning fire boiling at the rims of her eyes and the lining of her gut. The heat burning within her lifted the pace of her heart and hatred began to fester. Judy felt cheated, she felt betrayed, and she felt as though Nicole, her **temporary** partner, have just crossed a line that should not have ever been crossed, even in one's most dire of instances.

She could feel her restraint slipping through her trembling paws. Judy teeth gritted as the rage built within her gut. The angry bunny then poised her body square with Nicole's, and then put a single foot forward. Her nose twitched in irritation. _Don't be a dumb bunny, calm down. Don't be a dumb bunny, calm down. Just calm down Judy, just calm…_ _ **I can't … what is she doing here? What could she possibly want with MY Nick?**_

All the weight of her plight, her inner emotions that stirred up a potent concoction of mental moonshine; deteriorating her good-sense, and her respect and appreciation of Nicole stood precariously on the last remaining cord of acumen within her brain.

Judy's head slightly rotated to the right.

Her ears remained straight albeit her souring emotions; a terrifying sign of calm rage, or rather she was sure of what type of punishment that she was going to dish out within the next few moments.

And ever so slightly a twinge of an impish smile pricked up at the left side of her mouth.

And then, that cord of common sense snapped.

Nicole stared at Judy in a level of fright teeming on the verge of absolute horror as she noticed the dramatic shift of shock to rage to insanity. The tilt of her head. The overt rage and an incomprehensible concoction emotions and feelings bubbled murderously beneath her opaque purple eyes. The tensing of all of her muscles. The pheromones that purged off her body- Nicole could _smell_ the tempestuous savagery that exuded from the little bunny, it just wasn't natural!

Nicole has been creepily removing herself from Nick's immediate propinquity ever since the dour bunny made her shocking, unbidden entrance. Now, as she stares down at Judy with an elevated sensitivity to the sour aura and anger that exuded from the bunny, she stood straight up, her posture absolutely defensive. Nicole slowly raised her paws in attritional capitulation. Her white flag couldn't be clearer. But what is a flag to a fire- just more fuel.

"Wait- wait- wait- J-Judy it's not what you think!" Nicole pleaded as she felt the ever increasing emanation of anger shed off the bunny in waves. _Woah, I've definitely sat my ass in a fire ant hill this time. Oh Gaia, why did I have to be here right now? This is frightening. I can't believe I got myself into this situation. Why did I have to go meet with Nick today? Why didn't I just mind my business…?_ Nicole's nostrils flared in fear, and thus she took in more of the wild scents that shared the same space as herself currently. The lynx could almost choke on the anger that spanked her sinuses, she could even smell her own fear through the extremely potent anger that filled the room.

But there was something else in the air as well… Nicole's fur stood up in **horror**.

It smelled as though Judy was _hunting_ her.

"Judy- Wait- wait- wait hear me out!" Nicole pleaded once more before the agitated bunny sprung forward with so much force that she cleared the expanse of the room in a single bound. Nicole's heart felt as though it sank into her gut for protection. Her fur stood tall, her eyes slammed shut, and the young lynx shrank down in terror as she felt the proximity of her and Judy diminish as quick as a blink of an eye. She definitely died. She definitely was served a gruesome helping of claw and tooth. Within a second, she'll be needing a hospital room for herself, or better yet a gurney straight for a blacked out hearse.

"-udy?"

Nicole peeked open her eyes at once at the un-expecting ushering of voice. And in that couple of milliseconds she caught a glimpse of what her last moments on this planet would've been; Judy was just inches from her face, her teeth bared, her claws poised, and her face upturned in a _foxlike_ snarl. Rage, mental entropy, envy, despair, and hatred loomed over her Judy's body like a massive, nebulous, dripping smog of doom. But thanks to the voice, Judy had changed her course in a heartbeat, immediately changing her attention from Nicole to the voice which sounded above her.

 _Nick…_

Judy bounded directly on top of Nick's bed as soon as she heard his voice piqued from the turbulent air.

"Oh, Nick!" Judy's voice dripped with a euphonious tone, a staggering contrast to the rage that seemed to ooze from her eyes and maws just a few moments ago. Judy crawled from the side of the bed up to his face which he slowly aimed around aimlessly. As Judy clambered and picked her way, she cautiously minded the various tubes and cables that were strung from his body. Her mouth was at a constant slight gape as if it were ready to coo and woo the fox before her. "I'm here Nick. I'm here for you." Tears fell freely as Nick's call for her resonated and echoed sweetly within her brain. Her heart fluttered with happiness at the sound of her partner's voice. She smiled as she relished his tone that he used to call her name, it sounded so innocent, so needing of her.

Judy crawled up to his head and held his muzzle gingerly, looking down into his lost, green eyes. "Nick, Nick, I'm right here." She felt like wailing to the sky in blissful happiness that he was back. His breathing was stronger than it had been in weeks even though he still looked lost in the eyes, confused even, but thus may be the side effects of being asleep for a whole month. She didn't mind much that he was practically looking through her, his focus blunderous, but she didn't mind, all she cared for is that she was content, and that he was awake.

"-udy?" Nick called out once more.

His raspy, bleary voice sounded better than a symphonic band playing the most gracious tunes and pieces. Judy hugged him and sobbed in happiness as she relished his voice once more. His aimless eyes were more beautiful than a starry, twinkling sky. She didn't care that they looked almost blank, she didn't care, it was his eyes- _it was Nick's eyes!_ She hasn't seen his eyes in a month, disregarding the many, many photos that she had in her phone and around her apartment. All this didn't matter because it indicated that soon he would be back as well as he was before. His voice will be persuasive and racy. His eyes will be sharp and handsome. He will be back on the force. They will be back out on missions. They will be back together… _forever… soon…_

As Judy wept in happiness and relief, Nicole on the other hand wept not out of relief, but instead fear and physical and mental dissonance; she was utterly lachrymose.

Nicole held her tongue as she silently wept as she tried to forgo the fear that had just consumed her not too long ago. Her body still shivered in apprehension. She tried desperately to calm herself to allow her fur to lie down flat, but to no avail. Her hands constantly switched from shielding her eyes to running across her fur fearfully, and then back again. She couldn't close her eyes for a second; the vision of Judy's animosity was too horrendous: those eyes were so poised to kill, those lips were drawn into a snarl like a **fox** , her claws seemed to be sharp as a knife, her whole expression was to hunt and kill; it was so abnormal.

Nicole was fearful that she'll bounce right off the bed to finish her off, so she declined any type of movement her body dared to make. She huddled up against the legs of the end table that sat beside the bed, wedged between the legs of the table and the machines that monitored Nick's vitals. She knew now not to underestimate how far someone would go to protect their loved one.

She know now not to dare present herself in Nick's room without at least letting Judy know… Nicole may be naive, but anyone could have perceived the episode of the room as Judy saw it when she first made her entrance by Judy's perspective. Judy most likely thought the worst; Nicole was there to steal Judy's fox, or perhaps replace her in some way. Nicole shook her head, trying to release the thoughts from her head, but as she did shake her head, her furry ears rattled a couple of wires that were strung from the machine to Nick's body.

Judy's cooing halted.

And then Nick made a questionable noise as he too probably noticed the sound.

Nicole held her breath.

 _Wha- Who's there? Who's … over … there? I can't see you… -Udy… Was that you? No… I can see you there… damn my vision, it's so blurry… so unfocused…_

Nick swooped his head to the left, then right. His strength seemed to be slowly returning. His body felt as though most of it was still asleep. He felt groggy as though he have been drinking all night and decided to also stay up till the sun met him in the morning next. His mouth felt dry, his nose burned with the incoming scents of flowers and odd pheromones that was present in the air. Coming out of a coma is not the most pleasant occurrence, but at least he wasn't stuck to thinking to himself for a whole… _How long was I out for anyways?_

Nick tried to move his arm, but to no avail, but not because of his lack of strength, but instead there were a bunny leg sitting on it. _Dammit, you dumb bunny…_

Nick eyes fell close again. _Oh no… I feel like I'm about to fall back into the darkness._ But something was bothering him though, what was that that rattled his cords. What was that? Who was that? He could definitely smell some other scent other than Judy, flowers, blueberries, and the staleness of the hospital air. There was something else…

 _Who are you?_

Nick then rolled his head to the right again, and made another sound, as incoherent as the first sound he made, but unfortunately it is the best that he can do for now. He tried to open his eyes as wide as he could before the effects of his health dragged him back into the silent abyss of sleep.

 _My arm… Judy… get the hell off my arm…_

Nick groggily tried to pull his arm back once more, this time freeing it from Judy's thighs. Nick opened his eyes wider, this time taking in the expanse of his room. He could see that it was quite a boring looking room but, it was at least cozy looking. He could see Judy before him, though she was as blurry as a bad resolution JPEG picture, but she was there. But like he thought before, there were someone else here.

Nick lifted his arm as high as his body would currently allow, and then swung his arm down to the right, using up his remaining strength, but it was all worth it. Within his claws he felt a furry head underneath.

 _There you are._

" **OW! I'M SORRY JUDY, I'M SORRY PLEASE DON'T HURT ME!"**

Nick would've made a funny, bemused face at that exclamation if he could, especially since Judy was right there on his lap and obviously wasn't in the motion to hurt whomever was below the bed, so… what could this mystery person be refraining to? _Judy… what did you do to this lady?_

The distressed female in question sprang up with her paws clasped together in prayer, her eyes shut and chin pointed to the air. She was still tethered to Nick's long arm, and before long she reopened her eyes and then gasped as she noticed that Nick was staring up right at her.

Nicole gasped in amazement. It was Nick that was holding onto the fur upon her head. She held still as Nick's firm grip, although not so firm that she couldn't just walk away, but she decided to remain put anyways. Although the female that had just terrorized her minutes before was about a hop away, the young lynx couldn't help but be calmed down a bit as she looked at him.

His eyes, they were beautiful, misty, yet beautiful. They had a sense of tranquility, or rather his eyes were so sharp and, though a bit blurry, entrancing that she felt compelled by him, almost as though he was going to sell her some snake oil, and she'll out every last penny to befall his con. They shared a long stare before Judy pulled Nick's arm back towards himself.

He seemed as though he would've like to say something, but he was unable.

"Nick, you need to restrain from moving too much, you still need to gather your strength." Judy spoke softly, her eyes placed lovingly on her partner.

"'Fraid she's right Mr. Wilde."

Judy and Nicole eyes widened in surprise as a mysterious voice pierced the silent room. The two looked back to find a doctor, a badger, also whom Judy recalls that had almost scared the cheese out of her just yesterday. The badger was followed by a young male muskrat who wore the typical nurse scrubs.

The badger walked in closer to the trio inside and then verged his course towards the lynx. "'Scuse me madam, I must record the readings." The doctor voiced in a lighthearted manner. "Yes it seems that Mr. Wilde has made a successful extradition from the comatose."

"Heart rate normal." The doctor checked off on his tablet. "Blood pressure… good, better if some bunny weren't sitting on his lap, perhaps." The doctor sent a playful glare at Judy and the bunny nervously removed herself from the bed and stood beside Nicole. The lynx, already flustered and slightly nervous, casted an apprehensive glance at Judy. "Now then, respiration, good, strong!" The doctor growled to personify Nick's wellbeing as being strong and powerful. He looked to the two ladies who watched the doctor hopefully for more good news, and to his slight disappointment they didn't laugh nor giggle, but at least the nurse behind him face-palmed. The doctor rolled his eyes as he checked the last vital sign. "Body temperature… alright. Everything looks good!"

He eyed the two and then let his eyes rest on Nicole. "I'm used to seeing Ms. Hopps around here, even that short fox fellow, but who are you, friend of Mr. Wilde?" The doctor asked with a raised brow.

Nicole opened her mouth to speak, but Judy beat her to the punch. "Absolutely not." She kept her gaze tethered to the doctor with surety saturating her purple eyes, and if her tone and eyes was not to advocate her crude candidness, the raise of her chin definitely dotted the period on that topic.

Nicole clamped her mouth shut and kept her head towards the doctor and tried her best to hold her gaze straight and firm. But slowly her electric green eyes slowly fell to the side and to the right as though she was studying the _dinomap_ machine.

The doctor looked from the Judy to Nicole and then back again with a dubious expression slapped across his face. A second or two of silence were strung between the walls of the room like a thick web. The doctor didn't know what to say, it was obvious that the two are tense about something. Especially how quick Ms. Hopps had interrupted the young lynx about what relation she had towards Mr. Wilde. Perhaps the two are love interests of the fox, both being in the same place at the wrong time. The doctor shook his head, he wouldn't intrude, especially since he wasn't being paid enough to also be a therapist. The doctor blinked as he quickly rubbed between his eyes and the bridge of his muzzle before he opened his mouth to speak, but this time it was he that would be interrupted.

"Matter fact, I do not know why she is here at all."

A small, impish smile creeped upon Judy's small face as her gaze tightened around the doctor as if it were threatening to choke him. Her tone dripped with detest. Her smile tricks you with its appearance, but once you look closer, it was filled to her lips in animosity. And then, slowly, she steered her injurious glare up at the lynx beside of her.

"Yes, why are you here?"

(-)

 _I have to do what I have to do._

Finnick checked his mirrors again with an increasing sense of trepidation as he drove down the more secluded streets on his way to the docks. Within the van, not a single song was being played through the adjunct, aftermarket speakers, a rarity because whenever on the move Finnick appreciates a little bit of music, but tonight, this ride, will be a silent one. The rattling of the loosely held down objects became the odd, random music of the ride, aided by the rough, deteriorating asphalt beneath the van's tires.

Again Finnick checked the mirrors; _no cops in sight._

The tiny fox wore a crown of pulled back ears and a mask consisting of a deep frown as though he regretted going out tonight on such an ambiguous night. But it couldn't be helped. He had to do what he had to do. His mouth was growing dry with each passing second. His stomach dropped to the floorboards with every pothole he bounced into. His frown deepened as he got closer and closer to his destination.

Again Finnick checked his mirrors: _no cops in sight._

Finnick turned down a restricted road, and as if it were common knowledge he turned off the lights of his van and continued his drive in the dark. The only light that aided him was the full, unprejudiced moon, like a giant tortilla in the sky, it was a sign of a good omen. The fox gulped and drove along.

Finnick shakily drove along the dark, deteriorating street parallel to a long line of old, worn warehouses. He glanced at them warily, they were like dark caves amongst the moonlight above, each of their entrances ambiguous. His brakes screeched as he decreased his speed when he came upon the eleventh structure; his heart sank in trepidation as the high pitched wail echoed off each building. He let out a sigh of exasperation as his vehicle came to a halt around the side of the warehouse.

Finnick lowered his head and shifted his gaze to his lap. His paws wrapped around the steering wheel. Within, Finnick could feel the serpent of anxiety begin to constrict his check cavity; his lungs, his heart- apprehension welled up like bile within him- burning him. With a passion, he hated this Godforsaken place. This place will forever be shrouded in thick goo of reeking ambiguity and a smog of asphyxiating pain. This _place…_ Finnick couldn't even call it that, not a place this was, but instead a whole other world detached from society and what is good, this… _place_ smelled of filth and deception and its shadows teemed to its ombre with villains and evil.

This _place_ where that evil _thing_ lurks.

Finnick then lowered his head in silent, emotional agony. _Where do that evil thing lurk really?_

He took a moment to reflect. The undesirable episodes of memories singed his brain

 _Do it reside out there…?_ His eyes slowly cascaded towards the dark warehouse beyond the safe boundaries of his van window.

 _Or do it instead lurk within…_

(-)

Dear Reader, some developments are coming underway! Crazy plot twists! Spooky enemies are around the corner! Love and jealousy, the pair are imminent. And someone's going to die in the end (don't worry, you'll be able to enjoy your characters for a while more, I'm nowhere near finished.)

I would be honest, I ALMOST QUIT THIS STORY! So many plot discrepancies were knocking at the door, threatening to overwhelm me. So many walls of writer's block tortured me. BUT, I remained stern and strong and ushered out a new chapter. Let me know what y'all think about this! Please, reviews are my greatest drug, I appreciate every last comment I promise.


	5. Chapter 5

Cold, bracing air blew calmly through the open windows of the darkened, spacious studio apartment bedroom. The lithe, sheer curtains danced and gamboled inconstantly in the wind's embrace. The moon's rays lit the fabric up like a swathe of silver seafoam and the curtains passed its glimmering refraction to the wide room past it. Following the crisp breeze in tow, the usual sounds of the night whispered into the air: the growling of tires rolling on the asphalt, the murmur of voices prattling up storms of conversation, and the saunter of pawsteps walking to the coolest late-night venues filled the night air like urban background music. In fact, if anyone listened closely, the sonorousness of the nearest club could be heard; muffled hip-hop music bumping ambiently, but not too loud that it became a nuisance to those who lived near to the club. Outside the apartment building, across the street and down the way, neon signs of every color lit the air depicting late-night clubs, bars, restaurants, and even jazz and poetry slams. The nightlife of Zootopia was booming and alive.

The night air was pleasantly suffused with humidity and a slight western breeze from the sea by the harbor. The light fog that timidly hugged the streets fluttered about in the minimal automobile traffic and the pawsteps of the pedestrians. The chilled air breathed upon every glass surface, frosting lightly on edges and vertices of each sleek panel. All was lively out, various animals, mostly the night-loving predators, were enjoying the cool air and the nocturnal life-light.

Nicole was sat up on her bed with her body facing the open window, her green eyes following various mammals' bodies as they disappeared into clubs and cars and other venues to enjoy their night. She was not going out tonight, despite her usual weekend schedule. Her friends even tried to persuade her with promises of delicious food, enough drinks to get silly and litty for the night, and even prospect of attractive males, but she atypically turned their offers down, she already had a male who bathed himself in her thoughts tonight…

Nicole flexed her toes and her feet relished on the cold hardwood floor beneath her paw pads; it's chilled, varnished lumber sent up shivers of enticement up her spine and along her tail. The wind wisped through her ear tufts, down through her thick fur, and tickling her whiskers. Her nose twitched in comfort as the breeze gently massaged her skin beneath her fur, it's coolness almost ushered a smile on her face, _almost,_ because right now was not the time for smiling. She wasn't in the mood to.

Deep in thought, she rubbed her upper left arm rhythmically with her right paw, her pace absolutely perfect and controlled, it was as though she was entranced. Her chatoyant green gaze was trained on the window's white, paint-chipped sill as she watched a long tendril of fur sit silently. Nicole was tacitly surprised by its tireless determination not to be swept away by the tempting breeze. As she watched the tiny filament of fur quiver, she couldn't help but relate to it; it's quivering, she was nothing but the sort earlier in the hospital today. Quivering, hyperventilating, and bleeding tears as she feared the wrath of her colleague, Lieutenant Judy Hopps. Part of her though admittedly acknowledged that she kind of had it coming… but the other parts of her thought it was perhaps overcooked; Judy's behavior.

Nicole unwillingly flashed-back to the fur-raising display of anger and emotion that spewed out the little bunny like lava from a volcano. Her claws were poised! Her teeth looked ready to chew and gnaw! Her muscles bunched underneath her body-glove of a police uniform! _I don't even want to know how it feels to be kicked by her! Why was she like that? It was so unnatural! She looked like… so much so, like a … fox…_

Nicole closed her eyes to seek tranquility, but then the only face she saw was the shriek-inducing vision of Judy's snarling face inches from her own. Nicole's fur stood up like it was in church! She felt as though she needed a prayer and a fifth of vodka right now! (Nicole took a deep breath. Exhaling through pursed lips.) She was so close, if Nick hadn't muttered her name when he did, the night would've most certainly played out differently. _But why did she act like that? She was so protective over the fox as though she and he were mates or something. Freaking unnatural, that bunny._

However despite all the drama that collided within her mind at her memories of last night, a weird feeling came over her, a feeling teetering on the verge of being proud that she was the first to see him wake up, and the sheer fear of being the first one to be the one to see him wake up. Both feelings were quite valid. On the former paw, she felt like she finally got one over Judy, or one step closer to this 'hero fox' and perhaps understanding why he was so 'great', and on the other paw, Judy might justifiably get her paws on her. Either way, she finally got to see him for herself, finally, this hero had a form and she saw it, him, with her own eyes… and gosh darn it, that was a win for Nicole Felina.

It felt good to be the one to have woke him up… Remembering those deep green eyes, that handsome sleepy face, his coarse russet fur. It was like a blessing from the Gods that she was there to witness the tod surface from his extended beauty rest… and she knew that was all that she's been asking for from whoever's above that's listening, but now she wants more.

Seeing the hero fox in the flesh, butterflies couriered a warmth within Nicole's body; her mind… After hearing most everyone under Precinct 1 (especially one hoppin' mad rabbit) talk so memorably of him, she just had to meet him. And now that she has, she wanted to see him again. She couldn't wait for him to get better. She couldn't wait to finally talk to the hero fox. … Without any distractions…

Nicole shifted her gaze upwards towards the grand orb of silver in the sky and the brightest dots visible through the light polluted, downtown Zootopian sky. A breeze softly wrapped her in a cool swathe of air, giving her a pleasant kiss of goosebumps down her back. Such delightfulness, and with that thought in mind, another thought regarding the vulpine cop gently made its way into her mind.

 _Those eyes..._

Those eyes, though they were as hazy as the 5:00 am morning fog, they were yet so intriguing. Nicole's tail curled at the tip in anticipation, she was beginning to become very eager to see the red vulpine again. The thought excited her. But then again… Her tail halted it's playful kinking, and suddenly the cold air that seeped through her fur felt colder. Judy wouldn't let her near him again, not after tonight's episode. Her ears began to flatten at the thought that she may not be able to see the hero fox in person again, definitely not while Judy's at guard.

Shortly before exiting the hospital room that evening, as she was clearly feeling the heat of embarrassment scourge her belly and the beam of animosity that was Judy's blazing gaze on the back of her head. Nicole, with tears threatening to escape her glassy eyes, went to exit the suffocating room quickly soon after Judy scorned her, but something magical happened before she could leave. Right before she fully left the presence of the room, her right paw grabbing the brass enameled door jam, her body in the doorway, she took a verboten glance back at the handsome tod in a shy, fleeting moment of sweet béguin, and in that moment, that beautifully brief moment, a burn of inclination for the russet fox enveloped her. That moment marked her watershed moment. In that shred of time, the quick draw of cupid's bow hit its mark, and oh, did it pierce; Nicole's mouth gaped slightly as she felt a tug, or a tether if you will, lasso her mind around that bedridden Reynard. It was intimate, at least in the lynx's mind, and no one will ever be able to convince her otherwise. Not a moment more of hesitation, she left the room, not all of her though… as Nick Wilde unknowingly kept her heart. Given to him by one breathless Nicole Felina.

 _I want to see him._

 _Why do I want to see him again?_

The chill of the night kissed her skin tenderly, leaving fresh goosebumps. Her hair bristled slightly, buffeting slightly against a sudden brisk breeze. The ambient, slightly cacophonous voices of the night became white noise to her; a buzzing in the back of her mind. She began to drift. Floating in existence.

She slowly reclined her back until she was lying flat on her bed. She stared up at the slowly revolving ceiling fan as she thought to herself. Silence swaddled her body; conforming to her form and deafening her senses. All she felt was the stagnant coolness of the room, the subtle engrossment of the velvety-soft bed beneath her, and the slowing down of time. Round and round the fan spun dextrally and soon she felt as though she was spinning herself, but counter-clockwise to the slow revolutions of the fan.

 _Infatuation._

/break/

Judy cuddled up tighter to Nick. Her heartbeat drummed against his belly as she laid her sensitive ears along his lean, strong torso. Her cheeks bunched as she smiled deeply in bliss as she observed that their heartbeats matched; synced in harmony. She held him tightly around the hips with her thighs and nuzzled her face into his fluffy chest fur while inhaling his natural cologne until she was drunk with it.

A chuckle came from him and his lackadaisical tone titillated the tip of Judy's ear as it rested on his chest. The vibrations from her red beau sent shivers of excitement down her spine straight to her tail. In any other circumstance she would've stopped her tail from shaking so excitedly, even held it if she has to, but this time she giggled in happiness and let her tail rattle like a maraca. She smiled as his warmth caressed her body. She slowly lifted her head up so that she was looking up at his muzzle, and then he pointed his down to gingerly kiss her forehead. "What's so funny, Slick?" She said smoothly, her voice mellow and crisp with devotion.

"You bunnies, so emotional, so clingy- I don't think that I could remove you from me as if I wanted to anyways," Nick smirked as he slowly ran his left paw up and down her back before resting it on her toned bottom; her fluffy tail puzzled right in his purlicue; the space between his thumb and index finger.

Judy stuck her bottom out a bit more as she felt his paw on her. She felt hot blush bloom upon her cheeks and she tried to ignore her inhibitions that pestered her innately promiscuous soul. "I think a better word would be affectionate… loving…" She mumbled out through a smile and mouth full of springy chest fur as she pressed her body against his, conforming to his lithe form.

"What's the difference, Carrots!" He rolled his eyes playfully before giving her rump a squeeze. She let out a protesting squeak and feigned a glare at _her_ fox. He smiled and looked down at her for a moment, then, he looked away, his gaze undecipherable. "Hey, Judy, do you love me?" His voice lowering.

"Of course I do." She opened her eyes slightly and relished in the sight of his burnt orange fur.

Silence permeated the air for a couple of seconds and so she closed her eyes back to rest. A couple more seconds seemed to trudge by and slowly the gnawing feeling of uneasiness nibbled a bit too much in her mind as she thought about why he would ask that question.

"Nick, of course I do, what makes you ask that?" She asked with a hint of concern in her voice, her eyes still shut.

Several seconds smoldered passed as Judy waited for an answer.

"Nick?" Her eyebrows raised. She began to focus on his body, or in this case… _lack thereof._

It didn't feel like she was lying on his body anymore. Matter fact, what she was now gripping in her nervous paws was no longer fur and muscle. A cold sweat formed beneath her short fur and a gasp escaped out of her mouth as fast as her heart blasted from calm to panic. Within her ear, there was no longer a pulse echoing in her ear canal. The musky, earthy, intoxicating aroma that belonged to Nick, and Nick alone, was no longer wafting around her like a delicious vestige of food being prepared, but now just a bittersweet memory riding tantalizingly lofty over her beguiled olfactory senses.

Beneath her now, a body of a stranger, scent of pain and suffering.

' _WHAT THE FUCK!?'_

Judy lifted her head off of what used to be Nick in a rush. Beneath her now was a pristine white sheet layered neatly upon the body of what seemed to be fox sized, but she knew, and not just because of the scent, that her fox was no longer there. No heat, movement, or sound came from the still body beneath her, it was as though this body was on the ambiguous journey beyond this mortal coil; death.

Judy's amethyst eyes stretched to the size of dinner plates as she soaked in the sight that gripped her heart and mind in a rusty hook that stubbornly clung to her; her anxiety knew no bounds nor leniency.

The frightened doe jumped back in a flurry of clumsy feet until she reached the foot of the bed. A shriek of horror escaped her throat as the realized what was beneath her. _**WHO IS THIS?!**_

 _Nick? Nick? No… Nick? NICK? THIS CAN'T BE!_

In Judy's fit of confusion and desperation to grasp the slimmest concept of understanding of what's going on, she ripped the covers off the body down to the waist in a white fluttering of crumpled sheets. **Her heart almost spasmed out of her throat at the sight.** The young doe's gut felt like it seized to a stop abruptly after it tried to scramble out her throat right after her heart in fear.

Judy automatically brought her trembling paws to her face in horror as the bloodied, bludgeoned, battered body of Nicole Felina laid beneath her. Judy barely bated breath. She scratched, struggled to swallow down sick. Finally, she drew a sharp, shuddering breath as the grievous gore gouged grossly a grave dedicated solely to her slipping, soiled sanity.

"No."

She brought her ratty paws down from her face.

"No…"

She unclasped her eyelids from their fear-induced vice, with terror she saw, lamentation ensued.

"No…!"

As if her mind couldn't take it anymore, another mind wrenching sight scooped at her eyes… Did anyone order a heaping helping of _scream_?

"NOOOOOOO!"

Blood was covering her knuckles and claws as though she had just torn into the flank of a cow. The metallic scent of blood stung her nose as she looked in horror at the way the thick red liquid slowly oozed down from her blunt claws, down the small digits on her paw, and down her skinny arms. The way her fur stuck up like stinking stalagmites from the wetness of the blood gave her a terrifying scare that made her pupils quiver. If Judy's heart had felt it had stopped just moments ago; it was now racing beyond the safe boundaries of what a normal heart rate was for a bunny.

" _No, no no no no! No! NO ! I_ _ **DIDN'T**_ _, I_ _ **WOULDN'T**_ _, I WOULD_ _ **NEVER**_ _, I -"_

Interrupting her fervor, a new voice drawled forth, oozing with a mordant dose of misery.

" **Why Miss Hopps, why would you do this to me?"**

Nicole's mouth moved as though her jaw was broke. Her voice came out drenched in woe and query as though she didn't deserve this terrible tale of terror that tugged her tattered body to Tartarus. After she spoke, the eyes of the poor lynx magnetized it's bloodshot gaze to Judy. Her stare judging. Her stare pitiful.

"I DIDN'T MEAN TO! P-PLEASE F- FOR- FORGIVE- I DIDN'T MEAN TO!"

Beside her to her left, standing about a foot above the bed the dinomap machine began to blare an alarm and flatlining Nicole. Judy screamed in shock at the sudden ear-splitting ruckus, causing her to fall from the hospital bed and towards the dark floor. Judy screamed in anguish as she fell, her mind shattered with the vision of the Nicole's broken body and blood and gristle on her paws. As she fell into the abyss of her mind, she cried and wepted for her sanity.

 _MAKE IT STOP ! MAKE IT STOP PLEASE ! MAKE IT STOP !_

All the while the blaring sound of the dinomap increased in volume until it felt as though her head would rip in half.

 **BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP**

The blaring scream of an alarm clock yanked Judy out of sleep as though she hit the ground coming out of the sky without a parachute. Cold, sticky sweat saturated her fur which caused it to stab up in odd positions. Her chest heaved as she fought for breath. Her wide, mauve eyes searched her dark apartment as though she was trying to discern every shape and color in the darkness by the moonlight behind translucent shades. While still breathing heavily, she nervously patted her arms with her paws gingerly as she tried to alleviate her mind that everything was just a dream… a nightmare; a nightmarish hell…

 _Could I ever be capable of t-th-?_ Judy took a deep breath as she slowly removed the heavy blanket from her body allowing it to crumple to the floor in a heavy _frwaapth_ sound. _Could I ever be capable of hurting… of… doing that?_ Judy shook her head briskly in attempt to shoo away the heinous remnants of her dream. But they pestered her still.

The look on Nicole's face, the blood that leaked from her body, the stench of fear on her long fur. Judy shook her head again. "Stop, no!" She shouted in a whisper, she threw her shaking paws onto her face and gasped at her fur before looking down at her own paws, her breath halting within her throat as she gazed at the blood and gristle clogging the space between her paws.

' _Why Miss Hopps?'_ the voice in her head echoed. Judith gasped once more and then flung her paws underneath her armpits and hung her head towards the hardwood floor, desperate for the nightmare to end.

Minutes later of silent ponder, Judy finally slid herself so that she was merely leaning on her bed. Her body was still hunched towards the floor, her night-shirt rode highly up on her back as she slid, and to top it all her head was beginning to pang. Needless to say, she was very uncomfortable. She sighed a stress relieving sigh as she held her head in her hands. She stared at the moonlit hardwood floor, she stared so hard that it looked as though she was trying to see into her neighbor apartment beneath her. Judy thought about her nightmare and began consulting with herself, trying to find a reason, trying to piece together the clues of her dream… but to no avail… Slowly she then pulled herself off the bed and lumbered into the bathroom where she did her business then showered.

In the shower, she tried her best to forget her whole dream, and instead concentrated on the mammal that mattered most. Nick Wilde thusly swaggered into her mind. She happily reminisced about the times that they've had: chasing down drug dealers in the country, busting bad guys in the city, grabbing coffee together… going out to eat together… late night bad movies together… his arm around her shoulder as they begin to get sleepy… the way they fall asleep… together… his handsome face, those sharp eyes, that voice that never gets old! Judy began to blush at the thought of her red beau, she lifted her face up to the stream of warm water as her mind continued to wander.

The hot water wafted steam into the air, suffusing the bathroom space, clouding every metal and glass surface in sight. The smell of the steaming water and the hot pour gave the little bunny a mental bathe as well, siphoning her senses of the nightmare away. Judy relished in the warm, comforting space, she happily felt down her soaking body as she thought more about Nick and their relationship. The way his lean muscles rippled under his work uniform… the way he unbuttons half his work shirt after a long day… his intoxicating scent… Those sharp fangs… Judy bit her lip and slowly dragged her minute claws through her fur to mimic Nick's own as she fantasized.

Her body was getting hot. She was getting bothered… needless to say, she was _craving her fox_. She craved the way he will look at her after a long day when they finally relax at his place. Those eyes would stare her down as she got out of her police gear, she knew he was thinking about perhaps… helping her out of them… She craved that attention, she desired his lust.

Her paws slid down her body, her mouth opening slightly as a silent moan of euphoria was lifted from her body. She dreamed of him getting off that couch, his gait slow but surely making his way over to her. She felt her heart stir with excitement at the thought of his claws ruining her athletic bodysuit; his brash ways to get what he wanted titillated her womanhood more than she would like to admit. He would then peel her clothes off as if she was wrapped food, oh the thought made her so hot! Her body shivered as she thought of him forcing her against the wall…

Within the shower she continued running her paws down her body until she reached her fluttering nether regions of her body, and slowly, with the thought of Nick above her, the sound of a zipper being undone, her small body being grabbed forcibly, his sharp fangs bared, his long tongue lolling, and his eyes dominating…

Suddenly, and as unbidden as a zealous religious type at the door, the sound of her phone alarm blaring stopped her in her tracks. It was her 5:30 alarm warning her that she was going to be late.

Judy gasped in panic and unbraced herself from the tiled shower wall and quickly turning the knobs to the hot water until the water merely dripped and dropped on the acrylic surface of the tub. She found herself slightly smiling after the vigorous, frivolous daydream that she just had, her mind cleaned from her horrible nightmare and body refreshed for the work day ahead of her. She then exited the tub, grabbed her towel, grabbed her phone, and then gawked at the time that read on the screen.

"Oh cheese and crackers! I'm going to be late!"

/

Judy hitched a ride to Precinct Central via the Zootopia Underground Subway, called the Zoo Metro (or Zoom for short) her usual to work transportation since Nick... While on the train she held the cold, paint chipped pole that stood from the floor to the ceiling because she preferred to stand. The cool early morning weather seeped into the tunnels and thus cooled the train cars, the heat was running, but there will be at least till 7 am till the cars will be comfortable enough without a jacket. There were few passengers onboard, most likely on their way to work or home from work, each passenger onboard was either on their phones or reading the daily newspaper, their business being minded. Judy finally took her eyes off her surroundings with a blink and then directed them downcast. While swaying to the beat of the train, she pulled her phone out and scrolled through her contacts until she reached the 'N's.

She paused as she fondly stared at Nick's avatar picture, it was a picture of him that she took when they were out drinking and she had drunkenly, but mostly jokingly, spiked his beer with a half shot of what the locals call "Bear Killer". Needless to say, Nick became bumbling an idiot for the night. When he had come back to senses the next morning… or afternoon rather, he was understandably very cross with her. However, thanks to her huge heart and spectacular, spritzing spirit, she conjured up a way to cheer the ol' vup' up; a tantric massage with all the blueberry confections he desired. Upon reminiscing that memory, she felt a heartwarming tug; a deep, adoring enticement for her fox, then called the number with a small smile on her face.

The dial tone felt as though it went on forever. Each second seemed to drone on. She knew he wouldn't be answering, for obvious reasons, mainly because he was still in the hospital, but she didn't care that her call wouldn't be answered just this moment. She just wanted to hear his voice.

The dial tone dropped then the voicemail answered. "Hey? Hey, how are you doing?" Judy rolled her amethyst eyes at the joke voicemail. Apparently, as Nick had said months ago, " _I totally forgot to change it."_ after she had fallen for it the first time, but she knew he still enjoyed hearing complaints about his voice mail whenever he listened to the recordings. Judy continued, "I was almost late to work today, I guess I've been hanging around you too much huh? I actually ran out the house to catch the metro with a carrot in my mouth, I know you would've howled with laughter at that." Judy giggled at her own antics.

For a long ten seconds, Judy stared at nothing in particular as she thought of what else to say. Of course, she wanted to end it with an 'I love you', but… Something in her heart shivered hesitantly. Sure, she knew that she loved him… perhaps he did as well. They treated each other with respect, affection, and adoration, but he sometimes acted as though the two were merely friends and nothing more… _what was he afraid of?_

Her mouth slowly opened as she blundered through her mind of what to say, until finally her lost expression melted into one along the lines of woe and longing, thick in her voice was devotion, like a syrup from the oldest maple, ensuring sweetness for generations. "I miss you… Nick, I miss you so much…" She lowered the phone from her head as she continued to stare into space, tears threatening to escape her blurring eyes.

Judy put her phone up in the back pocket just as the Zoom came to a stop, it's metal brakes squealing slightly showing its age. The doors opened with a hissing sound and she filed out as others boarded the train. She quickly jogged up the steps to the street, ran across the street, occasionally looking at her watch, and then finally started to go up the grand sandstone steps to the Precinct Central.

Judy opened the large doors to the open foyer of the precinct and then speed-walked as quick as she could, heading straight to the punch clocks to get punched in. Along the way, she greeted the night desk clerk, Josephine, an older goat, then Wolford, who was finally punching out after a long night on patrol, and then finally she reached the break room to fill her orange, carrot themed thermos with coffee. She needed a bit of "go-juice" to get her morning started, especially after the off the wall dreams she had.

She used the much appreciated smaller mammal sink to wash her thermos out thoroughly with cool water before picking up the coffee jug and pouring herself a full cup, it was going to be a long day. As she poured she thought quickly on everything she'll be doing today, including asking Chief Bogo for permission for the fifth time this month to reopen the failed drug sting case, she wanted to visit the warehouse district and sniff around. Hopefully this time the cape buffalo will bite.

Also, she knew this well enough despite how she felt, she needed to speak to Nicole and apologize for her behavior. She didn't want to scare the rookie away, she felt terrible that she treated Nicole with such viciousness… Judy shook her head slowly before bringing the warm thermos up to her maws, preparing to sip. _If only she knew how I felt about things yesterday… I'm so happy that Nick's coming through so well, especially that now he's awake and doing better, but still, I've tried everything to wake him up. I wanted to be the one that he woke up to. My eyes… my face… not hers…_ Judy shook her head slowly once more before closing her eyes and lifting the cup to drink.

Just before the hot contents of her cup touched her lip, her eyes opened wide with understanding. _Wait… Am_ _ **I JEALOUS**_ _?_

After taking a throat warming sip, her hands grasped the tantalizingly warming cup fondly. Still, despite the blissful cup of coffee adding girth to her morning, her mind switched back to Nicole. _I need to say something..._ She took a few steps towards the door to go to the offices, but before she could retract a hand from her cup and then reach for the door handle, a bloodied, battered, beaten mess of a mammal lumbered through the door.

Blood dripped and pooled to the floor like water from someone fresh from the shower. The scent of blood inundated the air. Salty and thick. The gurgling of blood came from the victim's throat as they wheezed, struggling to speak. Judy's eyes widened as though she saw a ghost. Judy's fur stood up, she felt her heart speed up as though she was chasing a perp through Central.

" **Why Miss Hopps? I didn't do anything."**

A questioning gasp was all that escaped from Judy's mouth as she gaped at the sight of Nicole Felina. The bloodied, bludgeoned, battered body of Nicole…

"I said good morning?" Nicole said again, this time she scratched the more-or-less rushed brush job on her head. Judy finally blinked and the nightmarish mirage of false reality faded from view. She looked blankly at Nicole and tried to smother the fear and confusion down by turning around and walking towards the sink.

"Haven't had your coffee yet huh, a nice, warm cup should perk you right on up-?" Nicole conversely said to Judy as she herself made her way to the coffee maker.

Nicole then looked in still-confusion as Judy then poured her coffee down the drain, the sound of the draining liquid being the only sound being heard in the break-room. "Or not…" Nicole muttered, just audible enough to be heard.

Judy kept quiet as she whipped out a green tea bag and steeped it in her thermos now full of hot water. Nicole felt sweat begin to form, is she still mad about yesterday? Judy looked to her then and could visibly see her discomfort. Understandably there may be tension, especially regarding last night's episode, but not for long, not if Judy could help it. _I'm not a monster._ Judy then looked back to her cup and watched as the tea bag suffused into the water, slowly changing the clear liquid into shade something green.

Then, just at that silent moment, the two partners swallowed their pride, looked at each other, and humbly pleaded...

"I'm sorry."

/Break/

The air was breezy midday, but such was a normality by the coast where the warehouse districts are. The warehouses, especially during the day, is usually packed with goodies and foodies alike. Ships big and small come into the harbor, dock, unload their merchandise which a crane then pick up and place on trucks that then get transported to their respectful warehouses. It's amazing really, a logistical masterpiece, any foreman's wet-dream, if anyone came during the day at their peak hour, that someone would see a ballet of crane movements; all four unloading cranes picking, dropping, spinning, and rotating; magical really.

"It's like a ballet, in a weird sorta way." (Told you) Nicole gasped at the four unloading cranes working seamlessly together, their long metal arms operating in synchronization. Judy snorted at her before checking her surroundings and then opening the door to exit the car.

With a smile present on her face, she closed the door and took a few excited hops towards the congregation of warehouses, the high sun glinting off their metallic roofs and dancing off the cranes as they gambol about. The breeze gave her ears a slight tug, and the smell of the salty harbor gave her a shiver of pleasantry; goosebumps kissing down her neck and back, the soothing air making love to her body. The air was definitely a factor in her happy demeanor, but what else, Judy was happy that Nicole and herself hashed out their differences, _and_ on top of that, Chief Bogo put a green light on Judy's investigation request, allowing her to retract her and Nick's steps to the warehouse district, however sans warrant. This is something that she's been working on for a month and some days now. Things really looking like it's looking up!

Unbeknownst to the enthusiastic bunny, however this Pandora box was locked for a reason; the dumb bunny needed no keys, no way, she had an arsenal of sure-fire grit and determination to break those locks.

Nicole exited the police interceptor and followed Judy. The two looked out into the sea of warehouses and dancing cranes together for a few seconds before the determined bunny nodded with gusto. "Remember what I told you: get acquainted with the workers a bit, talk to them, ask them for any information about warehouse eleven… I'm going to take a look around, scope out the warehouse a bit… By the time they escort you to warehouse eleven I should be done looking around." Judy commanded with an assured, confident tone. Excitement vibrated within her gut as she looked forward to gaining way in her case, hopefully, she'll be able to find clues to Nick's shooter, and the big 'WHY' to it all.

Nicole smiled and nodded in affirmation then began digging into her belt pocket to fish out a tiny clamshell mirror. The comely lynx snapped open the personal vanity and looked herself over daintily. She wet one of her furry digits on her paw and smoothed some unruly fur on top of her head and made sure that her coat was clean and shiny. Finished with her throughout scour of her body, she then snapped shut the mirror and looked to Judy with just as much enthusiasm as she had.

"I'm ready!" Nicole smiled wide, showing off her pearly white incisors. Judy couldn't help but smile and giggle at Nicole before nodding at her professionally and then in unison parting ways to their individual tasks.

Judy looked around before dashing into one of the auxiliary corridors between the warehouses and the corresponding powerhouse to stay out of sight of the regular workers that drove golf carts up and down the way. She could hear the tiny squealing of a golf cart brakes and then a gruff sound of a male questioning Nicole. "Hey! What's the problem coppa?" And then Nicole responded. "Oh, finally I meet someone kind enough to give me a ride around here. You see, I'm on my break and… just wanted to mingle with you fine gentlemen for a bit…"

Her voice was overly saturated with a faux interest in the worker, but as the blue collar man quickly fell for her facade and soon was on their way with Nicole right beside him yapping it up. Judy smiled and then started on her own mission, She took an observatory glance to the right, then left, and then headed off towards her left, down the hill, and towards the valley full of warehouses.

Judy felt the mental stigma of _that_ wretched night begin to burn and fester in her frontal lobe as she got closer to the dreaded warehouse eleven. _She blinked,.._ Daymares oozed like slow-flowing lava into her brain. Her dove-grey fur began to rise as the memories pounded into her brain leaving deep scores of emotional trauma. Her mind bled, daggers in the form of triggers reopened the scars of that night; reminding her, reanimating the tragic happenings that occurred a month and a week ago.

Her soft footsteps pattered against the gritty asphalt road as she crossed Lemon Street, a stretch of private, state owned road that sits between rows of warehouses to the left and right. She took a gaze right, saw no one, and then a wavering gaze left. _Nobody in sight.'_ She thought to herself, a growing wad of fur in her throat. She then took a step off the asphalt driveway to the concrete pavement, and then at that moment, her memories reanimated the ghost of the ambulance that carried Nick away that watershed moment.

 _She blinked._ The apparition disappeared in a flurry of phantom scintilla, it's blaring siren detuned into a wailing dirge. Peering past the phantom dust, she noticed a sullen figure that had run a couple of paces after the ghostly ambulance, and with a tingle down her back and a ice between her toes, she recognized that the despondent hallucination was her. The faint vestiges of blue and red all around her. Everything changed that night. Her eyelashes fluttered as heat rushed into her face and she felt traces of woe that salted her eyes.

That whole unfortunate night began a turning point in her life, career, and mental health. Though the whole ordeal only lasted for about 20 mins from the moment Nick and she were separated to Nick being whisked away in the ambulance, her memories played it back in spans of hours upon hours of trudging torture.

Her heartbeat rose as she ventured further past the relative safety of the cool, pitch-colored tarmac behind her. Her feet shifting the light blanket of sand and dirt on the concrete corridor floor between warehouse eleven and it's much smaller auxiliary building. A cool draft of air blew from the other side of the corridor, where she remembered stopping their (Nick and Judy's) interceptor at. _She blinked_... The ghost of her memories haunted her, showing her the blaze of white light emanating from the PPV lights, the swirling of dust that fogged the corridor, and telling Nick to chase the perp that ran down it as she chased another who ran down the street adjacent to Lemon Street. She remembered hearing the flurry of their seat belts snapping off and then the slapping of the metal buckles knocking against the door panel as they exited the vehicle quickly. She didn't look back at him either as they initiated pursuit on foot, she trusted that he would be okay, she knew that he would be okay… Judy's eyelashes fluttered as she felt a couple of rivers of tears mark her cheeks.

She walked further into the corridor and then noticed that the blood trail has been cleaned up, unsurprisingly. She stared at where the blood trail used to be with a bemused look on her face that then melted into one of ponder. One thing that other mammals seem to underestimate rabbits or small mammals in general, is that they have insignificant senses of smell. She held her breath for a second before quickly stooping, getting on all fours, and then putting her nose to the broken concrete beneath her. She took a deep investigative whiff, her eyes closed as her olfactory senses worked. She could make out many scents: oil, rubber, scents of different animals, but not a single scent of Nick. Oddly enough though, she could scent the tiniest substance of _cinnamon_.

Judy snorted in discontent and rose from the dirty ground and wiped her paws on the backside of her pants before continuing her search. _Why'd I even bother…?_

She searched along the ground for anything the team back at the Precinct would've missed. Alas, her search was for naught as she came up missing. Nothing out of the ordinary. Judy couldn't help but feel both proud and frustrated, the evidence recovery teams of her precinct always did their job exceptionally well, but it made her long awaited search of the premises coming up as short as she was tall. Judy frowned as she turned around and started to walk back. She made it a few paces before the savory images of her partner, Nick, imposed upon her mind.

She thought of his excellent detective skills, something she had to reluctantly admit was decisively better than her own. _What would a perp do in that situation?_

The bunny cop frowned as thought. She shifted her weight to her left leg and leaned slightly on it while having her right paw up to her face ponderously and her left gracing her hip. She then envisioned herself being chased by a _fox_ cop down an alleyway with a gun in paw. Her eyes widened in panic as she set in character. _The perp wouldn't even try to run far, not from a seasoned cop, a fox cop for that matter. Offense would be their best defense._ She shook her head and made a face. _What was so paramount that they had to result in shooting a cop? That's an instant 30 years or more not to mention that escape would be almost impossible. What lowly criminal would risk so much?_

She was at a loss for answers. Nick would definitely be able to shed some light on the subject… if he was here… Judy could feel the tendrils of sadness threaten to tug on her heart, but before it could take hold she heard the whine of a golf cart approaching and subsequently laughter bouncing between the large warehouses. The cart was closer than she thought, and as soon as she saw the cart in her peripheral vision she tossed down her walkie onto the ground and pretended to _totally not_ look like she was just snooping on the property.

Seconds later… "Oh, there she is… playing in the alley. What are you doing there buddy?" Nicole's voice lilted out mellifluously, she was still putting on the kind and dainty front for the burly work-mammal.

Judy turned around quickly and smiled generously and began speed walking towards the cart. "Oh, just dropped my walkie," Judy said innocently, she stopped with a kiddish jolt just a couple feet from the cart with her eyes gleaming with an adolescent lambency.

"Way out there?" The husky beaver asked, his furry brow raising.

Nicole laughed explosively. Judy eyed her with a 'tone it down' glare which Nicole quickly took account of. The embarrassed lynx then coughed into her hand and looked at the beaver beside her. "You showed me just about everywhere on the campus, perhaps could you tell me about what's inside these warehouses," she looked at Judy then at warehouse eleven. "That one perhaps?"

Judy kept her smile on the beaver and looked hopeful, hopefully, her curious, innocent nature would allow the beaver to acquiesce.

The beaver chuckled a hearty chitter then shook his head slowly. "No ma'am, can't do that there. It's a privately owned warehouse, it is." The beaver replied, a smile still on his face.

"Aww, pretty please Manny?" Nicole poked her lip out cutely at the beaver whose name was finally revealed. Nicole had her paw on the beaver's strong shoulder and gave him a gentle rock.

"I would get in trouble if I showed you ladies… it's really private." He looked almost on the verge of stepping out of the golf cart and showing the innocent looking cops the warehouse. Judy was slowly starting to tap her foot as Nicole flirted and bantered with the burly mammal. She was anxious to get ahead, she knew that there has to be _SOMETHING_ she could find out once the warehouse was opened. She just now hoped that the beaver was dumb enough to allow her and Nicole in despite not having a warrant. Once she's in, lawfully, she could then at least take a look around, and if luck's _putting_ out, she's _coming_ in!

Nicole kept her big, emerald chatoyant eyes on the beaver as he finally sweated and gave in. He smiled at Nicole and complimented her. "Those eyes; you sure do know how to persuade a guy." He chuckled lightly while Nicole beamed at him appreciatively, her comely face in addition to her delightful pose gave her a dainty, kiddish look which the beaver candidly cherished.

Nicole only increased her captivating look and lowered her eyes only the slightest bit to imply the bit of genuine pleasure from his compliment. Judy had to give it to her, she would make quite the con-mammal if she pulls this off…

Just like Nick…

 _She blinked_ to herself, quickly pushing back the biting, adumbrate thoughts down...

The blue-collar mammal, as happy as he could be submitting to Nicole's cheery con, hauled himself out of the golf cart, grabbing the and put his right paw over his large loop of different colored keys. He smiled and walked towards the warehouse a couple of paces before looking down the street in each turn. He then turned to the approaching Nicole Felina.

"Hmmph, we'll have to make this a quick look, I'm going to document it as a routine door seal check. We won't be able to go in or anything." Manny said as he zeroed in on his target, the pin-code bypass key authorization entry. It was a weather-worn dark green lock that sat on the door like a cereal bowl.

Judy couldn't believe this, she was about to gain a foothold in her cold case. She couldn't help but walk up towards the door as an insatiable nibble of curiosity ate away at her mind. Her nose danced like fury as Manny probed the lock with the administrator key. Her eyes stood erect as a two-second buzzer rang out within the warehouse signaling that the override key was used. Her excitement rocketed. Her paws balled up into determined fists, and she unconsciously had her body posed forward as though just a few inches closer to the door in her position behind Manny would do all the difference.

A loud snap of an electromagnetic actuator unengaging made the antsy bunny jump slightly. The garage door opened with a quick jolt, shaking a bit as though the door hasn't been used for a while, possible rust built up, but before long the door began to wind open. The aluminum panels of the door shimmied and bungled against each other clumsily before finally, the heavy door opened wide.

Suddenly, but unsurprisingly, a peculiar, curt snout made itself visible from within the shadows of the warehouse.

Mumbling, "-the **Hell** , what are you doing you overgrown rodent!" A twitch in his beady eyes was off-putting.

The owner of the curt snout began to lumber itself out the shadows. A capybara revealed itself from the shadows and marched himself in front of the smaller beaver. Halfway into his irritated confrontation, the capybara limped heavily before righting itself again. The larger mammal was dressed in his dockers uniform with a disheveled visibility vest on, although it looked as if it was haphazardly thrown on just moments ago.

His twitching eyes glared at the unknown officers and studied them both… with a deep, odd, twitching stare. His ungroomed fur was dirty and his paws were calloused. The equally husky capybara whacked his foot on the ground as Manny stammered over his words.

Manny started to back away a few paces, "I- I- didn't expect to see you here Bro-Brody. I was just trying to show these sweet ladies around the c-campus and-"

"ARG! S-Shut the Hell up, bum-bumbling like an idiot. Get those cops out of here!" Brody the Capybara stuttered angrily as his trembling paw pointed at the space between Judy and Nicole. Judy brows furrowed as she tried to read the odd mammal in front of her. She then shot an inquisitive glance at her temporary partner and saw that the bemused lynx was slowly turning towards the apparently invisible officer between the at least three-foot gap between them. Putting her now investigative eyes back on the beady-eyed capybara, she saw that he had begun to lumber backward a couple of paces, a throbbing paw pointed at Manny now. "You're next Manny."

 _Wait, was that a threat?_ Judy quickly put her mauve eyes on Manny and then back at the capybara who just then slammed his paw against a red button of an arrow facing towards the dark ground. Nicole jumped slightly as the heavy metal garage door began to jangle down its tracks and shroud the guts of the warehouse into darkness once again. The cool air seemed to nip just a bit harsher through her fur. Suddenly, with no words uttered from neither of them, the cranes in the background seemed to halt it's dance, suddenly the sloshing of the water on the dock slip, and even more frighteningly the shudder of fear that seemed to emanate deep within.

 _What is so terrifying that got a dockworker afraid of his coworker, was what he said an actual threat?_

/

Judy held her eyes low as she climbed on the back of the caddy. As she got seated Manny started moving again, his jaws shut tight against themselves from the beratement he just endured. Nicole said not a word, feeling guilty and sympathetic for both Judy and Manny. The ride back up the hill was quiet and the atmosphere heavy like a sodden wool coat. Nicole looked up at the burly beaver beside her, his face was tight and unresponsive to her green gaze on him. Nicole frowned and then slightly turned to Judy who was looking down at her thigh and dragging her dull claws along its length at a lethargic rate. She then turned back to the front and rested her head on her right paw and allowed her eyes to wander until she saw something peculiar.

In the right-hand rearview mirror, she could still see a trace of warehouse eleven, but this time she could see a small trap-door opening from the side where the auxiliary power building stood. _A trap door? There was a trapdoor!?_ Nicole's eyes widened and she almost blurted out her findings until Manny swerved abruptly, cornering up to a road that lead up the main road up towards the entrance.

Nicole excitedly looked at Judy and then back down into her lap, her eyes flickering from left to right as she thought about the implications of such a door on the auxiliary building. Easily, that door could simply be a room for maintenance, but the lynx knew better. Questions arose like geysers and she found herself finding it difficult to keep her energy contained.

 _I gotta tell Judy!_

 _/_

Judy closed the interceptor car door with a solid slam, exhaling a long breath of exasperation into the air. Her eyes closed as she felt the weight of another dead end perch itself upon her back. With eyes still closed she slowly ran her paws through the fur on her face before tracing her paws over her head and down her ears, finally reopening them only to look absolutely tired of the silent conversation that she was having with the steering wheel in front of her. With a brief tug of her ears she let out an audible and truly exasperated huff.

Nicole approached the car as well, but instead of getting in immediately she stopped at the driver side window and peered in, a sympathetic look gracing her comely face.

Nicole looked at her solemnly, she couldn't help but feel for her. Judy, for a whole month and some days now, have been tirelessly looking for a silver lining in her work, a silver lining in the failed case, a silver lining in Nick's health- thank goodness for the assurance of the latter, it must be a downer to see yet another lead wither away.

Her fluffy ears flicked against the breezy wind as she waited for Judy to acknowledge her. When she did, Nicole smiled and motioned for Judy to scoot over into the passenger seat. "Let me treat you someplace, yeah?" Nicole looked hopeful.

Judy made no action of hesitation as she slowly made her way over to the passenger seat, she then held her head in her right paw as she contemplated. The pretty lynx then opened the driver door and climbed in, checked her mirrors, buckled up, and then slowly pull away from the gravel driveway into the warehouse district. As they drove away from the sea of warehouses, both officers looked back into their side mirrors, Judy with a frown, and Nicole with a steadfast glimmer in her chatoyant eyes. As Nicole drove away, she felt a flutter about her chest. She just got a piece of information that Judy will sure to appreciate. Then again, at the same time, another glean of thoughts rendezvoused into her mind.

If she even tells at all.

/

Nicole drove without incident through central in absolute silence, however, the two can admit that it actually wasn't awkward at all. Judy relished the silence, finding it beneficial for her to allow the frustration to be subdued as she contemplated the case. _There's something I'm missing… but what is it?_

She took the clues into consideration: the warehouse eleven is a privately owned property with no company printed on the facade unlike the other warehouses in the district. There's an air of mystery around the building, and there's a strict alarm present on the building. Manny says that it is absolutely off limits, but there was another worker already inside and perhaps others. And finally, what was that _threat_ for?

 _Who owns the warehouse?_ Unlike many of the other owned warehouses, which had signs and logos indicating what company owned it. _If i can find out who owns it, then perhaps that'll lead me to some more answers._

 _What's with the secrecy?_ The other worker that knew Manny seemed suspect. _Now, i wonder if Manny knows more than what he's telling._

Judy watched as the various signs of businesses and billboards strolled past her vision. Her eyes would occasionally stick to one billboard and follow it until those purple orbs would flick to another advertisement. Subtlety, she could discern that the buildings went from brick and concrete of the warehouse district and its neighboring, ungentrified ghettos to stucco, premium sandstones and woods accompanied with opaque glass. Corner shops morphed into coffee shops. The difference was polarizing compared to the degraded slums with the cracked roads and vacated businesses.

Finally, after driving about twenty minutes after passing the last abandoned business, the police interceptor stopped outside of a pretty froyo shoppe (and bakery). Judy looked with a suspecting eye at Nicole who looked back with a smile and then jerking her head towards the entrance while unbuckling her seatbelt. Judy followed expectantly.

Inside, the little millennial shop cascaded the sweet and fluffy scents of strawberries and warm, buttery vanilla around the two officers. A soft physical bell tolled notifying the employees of a new patron arrival. The walls were an enticing pastel rose with a beautiful array of vivid blues, violets, greens, and oranges stroked on the wide oval-shaped room as though with a giant paintbrush. The furniture was attractive and velvety with a shabby-chic minimalistic design going on which prospered well against the bouncy walls. Light fixtures looked like fireflies on strings all encased in a translucent acrylic globe. Muzak played soothingly, matching swell with the modern, artistic air of the shop.

Drinking in the delectable aromatic fruits and pastries in the air, Judy couldn't help but smile. The appeased bunny walked further into the shop following Nicole's lead. In contrast to the outside nippiness, the shop was pleasantly warmed and gave her a tantalizing kiss down her back to the base of her tail. The two chose a seat underneath a warm fixture of light. Judy looked around once more, her mind swimming in a pool of bakery smells and contentedness. She noticed the sinking sun, the orange spear of light glinting off their properly sized police cruiser outside, and the incoming otter waitress that held a small tablet in her left paw.

Judy sank into the cushiony stool and listened as Nicole ordered. "One tall blueberry raspberry tea with two crumpets with blueberry jam drizzled on," Nicole ordered, her jaws practically watering already. Judy looked at her curiously before the waitress acknowledged Judy and then her eyes widened.

"Officer Hopps!" The slender otter exclaimed happily, "Surprise to meet you here, how have you been? How's Nick- ooh, I heard that he's doing better." Kris trilled. "It's me, Kris, you helped me out months ago about that case." She looked away as memories of the happenings of the case upset her slightly.

Judy's eyebrows shot skyward, "How'd you find that out-"

The otter's fling of despondence dissipated just as quickly as it came and her green eyes were sparkling once more. "Oh, my sister's boyfriend's brother's, not the crazy one, son is the nurse working with Doctor Meles who's in charge of Officer Wilde." Kris listed quickly, her exuberant, almost kiddish tone contrasted against the dub of a day that she had so far. Judy smiled again, then ordered.

The two ate their warm, delicious foods and hot drinks and savored the soft atmosphere of the place bakery. The two talked ambiently, giggled lightly, and enjoyed their time together. The sun dripped lower in the sky, flooding the skyborne clouds with oranges and violets; stamped in the sky were the bravest, brightest stars, chasing away the sun. The blues grew deeper in the streets. Outside patrons wore heavier coats. Alarm reds and piercing blue-whites sliced through the air, reflecting off the storefronts.

Nicole's electric eyes peered at Judy for a while as the bunny cop nibbled at the last of her lemon cheesecake (from a whole pie of assortment cheesecakes no less). "Hey, Judy." Judy started at her name being called, scrolling her mauve eyes from the morsel of sweetness in her paw over to her temporary partner.

Once Nicole got her attention she continued. "I appreciate you joining me today, you didn't have to, could have said no once I brought it up, but you didn't. I had honestly thought that you would, today wasn't the best of days, huh?" Nicole spoke genuinely, implying the put-down the episode at the warehouse district was.

Judy slowly puts down the tantalizing slice of cake.

Nicole blinked, her mind shooting back at what she saw earlier with the auxiliary building opening that was definitely suspect. She pondered, she could tell Judy right now about it, surely it'll lighten up her demeanor about the subject. However, some part of Nicole, some part that wore a red pantsuit and horns on her disheveled head and a handful of keys yearned to hold back that information. She looked conflicted for a fur-thin second before smiling genuinely at her superior.

"When talking to Manny, I can honestly and surely conclude that there is something odd about their operation." Judy's ears shot up and her mouth whiffled and stammered, at this point, she was no better than that maladroit capybara. " _But,_ " Nicole quickly interjected, "It was nothing warrant-warranted," She lightly chuckled, watching Judy deflate slightly, "He merely mentioned how odd things have gotten about two months ago, actually just a week or two before Nick was shot by some _thug._ " Nicole frowned.

Judy looked at her wisely, "What you mean is, we don't have any evidence of anything awry to get a warrant." She then looked back at her cheesecake, "If we bring up the possibility of workers at warehouse district, the _union-backed_ workers of the warehouse district, colluding with the attempted murder of Nick without any type of evidence but an officer's hunch, we'll be doing parking duty for months." The small mammal fork she wielded sliced into the crush of her cake, breaking crumbs everywhere. She looked slightly dejected, the both of them did until Nicole pondered a bit, her sharp gaze searing into Judy's paw as the grey bunny stabbed the cake.

Nicole then put her paw out to Judy and smiled, "Well, tonight's National Predator Appreciation Day, er- night? Anyways, I know that you're planning on seeing him for the occasion. Why don't I patrol while you do that, hmm? Besides, some solo action will do me well, threat levels are low, no need to have me around too much anyways." Nicole said, finishing her sentence and playing with her badge absentmindedly as she thought to herself.

With mauve eyes widening, Judy reached across the shiny, pearl gradient table and held Nicole's paw with two of her own, and still, they didn't cover up Nicole's larger paw. "Hey… Nicole…" The lynx in question didn't look up but instead kept her gaze on the empty, crumby place in front of her. "Please?" Judy pleaded, her big eyes looking up at her subordinate patiently. At that Nicole finally acquiesced and put her eyes on Judy, her electric eyes showing a bit of worry.

"I know you don't-" The Canadian lynx started.

" **I** **appreciate you.** "

Judy slowly lifted her paws, freeing Nicole's own. A happy smile graced the doe's face and then she stood up and reached into her business wallet (because a lieutenant cop toting a carrot themed purse was too quirky, even for Judy) and whipped out a twenty for their meal plus gratuity. Nicole protested being that their little outing was her idea after all, but Judy reinforced her vantage with a rise of both eyebrows. "Thank you for cheering me up today, really. You're a great partner, and when Nick comes back to work, perhaps I can fix you up with anyone that you want."

Nicole looked shocked at that, but kept her composer as she too stood up and followed Judy out the shop. She smiled as she knew the next stop. "Off to see Nick now, hm?" Nicole smirked at Judy from the side as they climbed into the cruiser.

Judy reached in back of the car and brought forth a backpack filled with silver synthetic fur. She flipped down the vanity and beamed at herself in the reflection. Her eyes looked as though they took flight in promiscuity and her ears were attentive, almost shivering in excitement. She dug into her aforementioned purse and fished out a slender black tube that Nicole knew well as mascara.

Judy popped open the lid to the beauty product with a satisfying click and then shot Nicole a look with the brightest smile Nicole has seen in weeks. "Mhm!"

- **break** -

Finnick frowned widely as he leaned against the gaudy mural of his van. The dry air caused him to snort a few times before hucking a wad of snot out at the side. He shifted his posture, huffing a sigh, staring out into the fog that exited his mouth, all before diving into his pocket and fishing out a pack of cigarettes and a match. Lifting up his foot, the short fox lit the match on his rough paw pads before shifting his weight once more and lifting the sizzling match to the stinking stick between his teeth. He inhaled slowly, allowing the end of the cigarette to burn smoothly before then waving the match out and flicking it away from him. He grunted gratifyingly and then took a nice, smooth drag from the stick, holding it for a second, and then exhaling smoothly through his nose.

The cool metal behind his head contradicted with the warm smoke that he pulled in and it sent waves of titillating shivers down his body. He silently relished in the feeling before his big ears pricked at the subtle sound of someone approaching.

Slowly, three males turned into the alleyway that Finnick was loitering in. Finnick eyed them carefully, noting their body language as he pulled from his cigarette again, this time taking a longer drag, holding it gingerly, and then finally flicking it away from him just like the match, but this time a light trail of lingering smoke being left in its wake and the splatter of glowing embers as the cigarette bounced off the gritty, gravel ground.

The trio finally met up with Finnick, and that's when the three started to chuckle at the sight of such a short fox that was supposed to be hooking them up. Finnick frowned and raised an eyebrow at them, he felt his attitude threatening to jump from his throat and berate the three young fools, but he held his tongue maturely and simply eyed them with a tired, wise expression.

"Fifteen-deuce." Finnick growled out simply as the males got close enough. His simple response almost floored the young males.

"Wait a min lil fox, you said thirteen fifty on the phone!" The male that held the center yelled out. He was a young grizzly bear with a pompous, rich kid air about him. Finnick noticed this of course, and kept his hard gaze on the bear's beady black eyes.

"The price changed- fifteen-deuce." Finnick growled back. "Cops crawling tonight, it's Pred Night ain' it, price changed." He added less brashly.

The male on the bear's left, a dark coyote with bent whiskers yelled out in retort. "Yo, Dennis, he's trying to hustle us! Fuck that, I'd say we run his shit right now!" The coyote's voice cracked.

The other male on Dennis's right looked nervous. "Come on man, let's make the buy, I thought I saw cop when we was coming down here. P-Plus if we don't get back to the party, everyone gonna think you ain't bout that hard dope life." The speaker now is a anxious, short looking wolf with a odd dark grey pattern in his fur.

Dennis kept a strong front, his chin raising in defiance. "And what's stopping us from running yo shit right now lil fox?" His voice thickening.

Finnick sighed and shuffled around to the back of the van, all the while fishing into his pocket. The trio slowly followed him towards the rear of the vehicle, keeping their distance, their attitudes now cautious, and now wary of the fox's intentions since he didn't give them a straight answer, or any answer for that matter.

"Woah, fox, you ain't bouta pull a piece over a deal…" Dennis voice teemed with nervousness. The coyote and the wolf looked at each other and then at Finnick in apprehension.

Finnick looked back at Dennis with a curious look in his eye as he slowly pulled out his pack of cigarettes from his pants pocket. Finnick could basically hear the trio's breaths returning as they realized that there was nothing but a pack of smokes in his hand. "Relax kid… I'm not gonna shoot ya." Finnick said with a tired decline in his tone. "Pred on Pred violence needs to stop…" He patted his body around and dumbly looked to his left and right. He turned quickly and opened the right barnyard door of the truck pretending to check briefly for his lighter. He then turned back around to meet the skeptical eyes of the trio.

"Any of y'all got a light?" Finnick said with a tired voice.

The three looked at each other in turn before back at Finnick. The short fox leaned against the chrome bumper of the van, his left paw directly over the dark tailpipe. He stood innocently, but his mind was brimming with hot water of irritation at the kids underestimation because of his size.

Dennis rolled his eyes and yanked a red lighter out of his pocket and then stepping forward until he was an arms reach of Finnick. The bear flicked the lighter on and held it steady underneath the end of the cigarette just as Finnick slowly reached down towards the exhaust pipe. "How old are you kids anyways…" Finnick drawled out surely as though he already knew the answer and was prepared to say something else.

The hefty bear, focused on the stick that he was lighting, let an answer to slip out of his distracted face. "Twenty… why?" The bear was in the process of looking up when Finnick finished what he was going to say.

"Good, cuz I won't feel so bad doing this…" His voice teemed with poison.

Within that moment Finnick brought a long, dark-wooden baseball bat out from within the tailpipe and slammed it down with an **incredible** force upon the bear's outstretched paw. Soot billowed in the air around the bear's paw as the bat dusted his now broken appendage with dark carbon from the pipe. The bear didn't even have time to scream in agony, mainly because his cohorts were already doing that for him, but because Finnick yanked the bear close to his angry, tempestuous mug, their noses almost touching.

"YOU GONNA RUN MY SHIT HUH?!" Finnick shouted to the bear who was now whimpering in pain, as he shouted the cigarette flew from his mouth and booped against the muzzle of the bear who he was desperately trying to check on his paw, but Finnick kept his gaze square with his, his claws barely refrained from sticking him.

"I- I- I- I'm sorry sir!" The bear whimpered, his friends behind him shouted their apologies as well. "I- I- was just trying to front for my homies, ya feel me old man?" Dennis babbled out. Finnick held his gaze still, not allowing him to look away for a moment.

"FIFTEEN-DEUCE!" The fox restated simply. His fangs bared slightly against the bear.

The coyote behind Dennis quickly nodded his head. "Fifteen deuce, no problem, pay the man Dennis so we can get the hell up out of here!" The panic tone in his voice dripped heavily.

"Ye-Yeah, no problem…" Dennis whistled and indicated with his head for the wolf to come over. The wolf quickly took off the expensive Vanucci backpack, opening the largest compartment and fishing out a wad of cash.

Dennis took the cash with his good paw and stuck it out at Finnick for him to quickly look over before reaching into his van and dragging out a small duffle bag of goods, releasing the bear. "Enjoy." He tosses the bag to the coyote before putting his soot dusted bat on his shoulder and squaring his shoulders to make himself seem a bit bigger. "Now get the hell out of here…" He slammed closed his van door and then looked back to the younger predators. "Next time you little punks decide to convey any implication of robbin' me, you better bring your tools, cuz I _AIN'T_ THE ONE!" Finnick barked powerfully.

The trio ran off with their drugs and Finnick rolled his shoulders, picked up the still lit stick off the ground. He frowned at crook that was present in the middle of the cigarette before sighing and putting it into his mouth, taking a long smooth drag. He took a couple steps towards the driver side of the van before he heard the unmistakable sound of tires rolling to a stop behind him in the alleyway.

 **WOO-WUP**

 **Blue and red flashes of light lit up the alleyway.**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

Nick's green eyes looked outside the window at colors of blue and red in the distance. Blue and red blossoms, blue and red berries, blue and red fields, blue and red sparkles, blue and red everywhere; it was National Pred Day, or night rather. Nick knew, fuzzily, but he knew that predators everywhere would be celebrating tonight. Parties, clubs, and frat houses would be bumping tonight filled with music, joyous mammals, and games all night long. Nick flexed his toes slowly, hearing his claws run against the thin cotton sheets, he was remembering how he used to run with his crew back in the day on this day. Running around, causing mischief, smoke some weed, find some vixens- his ears began ringing as he thought of Finnick…

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

Nick's green eyes blinked slowly as he looked outside the window at colors of blue and red in the far distance. Blue and red blossoms, blue and red cherries, blue and blue fields, blue and red sparkles, red blood everywhere; it was National Pred Day, or night rather. Nick knew, fuzzily, or at least he thought he knew, that predators everywhere would be celebrating tonight. Parties, **warehouses** , and trap houses would be bumping tonight filled with music, joyous mammals, and gunshots all night long. Nick flexed his finger on the trigger slowly, hearing his claws run against the thick plastic of the body bag, he was remembering how he used to run from the cops with his crew back in the day on this day. Running around, causing mischief, selling drugs, finding some vixens- _his ears began ringing as he thought heard a gunshot when he saw Finnick_ …

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

There was a small sound of an actuator initiating, then the sound of liquid being injected into a tube. A tiny motor turned on, pumping the liquid through the tube and into Nick. Once done with it's cycle, the motor turned off with a wispy sigh.

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

 **Beep**

Nick slept soundly, not thinking of anything at all.

:/

 **Author Notes:**

Hmm, I'm having the hardest time working on this. It's been two years after all. My life has gone from blissful, to crazy, to being heartbroken, making tons of money, then losing it all and now I'm just in a state of purgatory. Yeah, I'm gonna end it.

The story I mean.

I need a **beta** please please please! I need someone to help me contain all the shit in my head so I can write it well. I already have the ending planned out. So will you, help me? I would super appreciate it.

I don't feel super about this chapter to be honest with you all. How about you, your thoughts?


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